On September 14th, new voting rights legislation was proposed in the United States Senate. This legislation known as the John Lewis Voter Advancement Act passed the US House earlier.
The bill — also known as the Freedom To Vote Act — preserves key elements of the earlier For the People Act (a.k.a. H.R.1/S.1).
The Freedom To Vote Act is a compromise, but it is a very good bill.
Here are just some of the ways it would confront the discriminatory voter suppression laws being pushed by legislators in nearly every state in the country:
- Make it easier for more Americans to vote by designating Election Day a national holiday and by allowing same-day voter registration in every state.
- Set clear baseline standards for voting by mail.
- Restore the right to vote in federal elections to ex-felons who have served their time.
- Put a stop to partisan gerrymandering.
- Block schemes by state legislators to give themselves the power to override election results they don’t like.
- Prevent billionaires from spending unlimited “dark money” to distort our elections.
The League of Women Voters will be watching closely as this legislation moves to a vote in the US Senate. Watch for Calls to Action to reach out to your Senators about this bill.
