Abby Broyles
March 28, 2021
H.R. 1, the "For the People Act," can be broken down into three parts: expanding voting rights, cracking down on money in politics, and strengthening ethics laws for members of Congress.
The bill creates automatic voter registration, more time to early vote for federal elections, and prevents states from restricting the ability to vote by mail. If 2020 taught us anything, it was that voting by mail is safe, convenient and has been used by those holding power for years.
Oklahoma has the worst voter participation in the country. We should be leading the way to expand and protect voting rights, yet every Oklahoma House member voted against H.R. 1. Oklahoma's senators will certainly vote against it. Republicans are shouting “federalization of our election process” in another fear-mongering tactic. But looked at closely, expanding access to being heard, getting dirty money out of politics, and beefing up ethical standards for members of Congress seem to align with the values we share as Oklahomans. So isn't it time our elected leaders act on those values we hold dear?
Please visit the link below for the Oklahoman to view the full article!
