Comments from Debra Cronmiller
Today, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin stands in partnership with the dozens of Wisconsin organizations that work tirelessly to defend our democracy and remembers the atrocities that took place on Jan. 6th, 2020. In hindsight, we know that this violent insurrection was ultimately an attack on voters and the integrity of those who administer our elections.
While we know our freedom to vote is a sacred right and the foundation of our democracy, it is under constant attack in Wisconsin and across the United States.
Our hardworking and professional election officials have to endure abhorrent treatment and threats when we should be thanking them every day for administering fair, safe and accessible elections. Especially in the shadow of Jan. 6th, we should be grateful for their continued commitment to elections that are accountable to the voter’s wishes.
Voters decide the outcome of our elections. Elections plagued with violence, rampant misinformation and voter suppression tactics are not free elections. Voters have the freedom to choose leaders that are representative, so we have a government that is wholly by and for the people.
Now is the time to demand federal legislation that will transform our country and truly protect the freedom to vote. We must pass The Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the power of the vote.
The Freedom to Vote Act is an act that would set national standards that expand opportunities to vote, protect against gerrymandering, modernize voter registration and tackle dark money.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is an act that would restore and modernize protections set by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It would combat modern discriminatory practices that disproportionately target people of color, the elderly and youth from voting.
The path toward a better future is through accountability and justice. Coming together, we have the power to demand elected representatives create national standards that preserve our rights, ensure that trusted local election officials count every vote, and protect the results of our elections.
In Wisconsin, we need to work across the aisle to defend our democracy. We must ensure that our election officials are safe from vicious attacks to their credibility and accountability to our constitution and statutes.
Our democracy has been weakened by the partisan misinformation about our elections and our elected officials. In the same manner misinformation has done real harm to our democracy, truth can help us restore its integrity.
For 103 years, the League of Women Voters has empowered voters with education and access to elections. We have defended an open government accessible to all and encouraged every eligible voter to participate. We have called for transparency to ensure our government is accountable to the people. We have demanded fair maps that ensure constituents are represented by the officials they elect. We have lifted up the importance of our municipal, state and federal courts as the impartial third and equal branches of government.
And today, we remember the events of January 6, 2020 for what it was. An attack on our democracy and our freedoms. We are calling on all those that perpetuate lies and misinformation about our government and our elections to stop. We applaud those that herald the truth and defend our rights and freedoms as intended by our founders.
We know the fight for our democracy is ongoing and we also know keeping our republic is our shared priority. Regardless of our zip code, our race, or our age, we are in this ongoing fight to defend our democracy together. And together we will ensure democracy works for us all.
