Dear MoveOn member,
"We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." –Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1
These words ring true today as they did 54 years ago. Throughout history, we've seen immense backlash from conservative lawmakers trying to take away the power of a multigenerational and multiracial voting coalition during Reconstruction and in the Jim Crow South. At every moment in American history, the expansion of voting rights and empowerment of voters came only after setbacks and losses. And while it took longer than anyone would have liked, we have overcome through perseverance, unity, and strategy.
Senate Democrats fought to pass federal voting rights standards and combat attacks at the state level—but the failure at the hands of a lockstep Republican Party and two Democrats who protected the filibuster rather than protecting voters is nothing short of heartbreaking.
This isn't the end of the fight. And while this loss hurts, it can also serve to recommit us to this work—in the halls of Congress, in our state legislatures, in the way we organize in our own neighborhoods, and at the ballot box in November.
Together, MoveOn members have taken bold action to bring us this far. We've marched, joined protests, spoken directly to our senators and representatives, signed petitions, made phone calls, led events like the John Lewis Votercades (pro-voter motorcades) last spring, shared calls to action on social media, learned the ins and outs of the filibuster, and more.
And together, we've had an impact. Senator Schumer was pushed by activists across the country to finally bring voting rights bills to a vote—even as he risked a loss at the hands of every Republican and two conservative Democrats in his own caucus.
We know the road to protect our freedom to vote does not end with Senators Manchin and Sinema. The road to protect our freedom to vote begins and ends with us, the people.
MoveOn members will continue to pursue the promise of democracy—where everyone, no matter their race, gender, or ZIP code, has the freedom to vote and have their voice heard. The next phase of the fight will take place in three areas: in statehouses across the country to support pro-voter and oppose new anti-voter legislation, in the courtrooms where the egregious and onerous voter restriction laws will be challenged, and at the ballot box in 2022 and 2024, from electing progressives to secretary of state (the officials who administer elections in key states) to delivering accountability to those who refused to protect the right to vote and expanding the majority in the Senate so that we don't need to rely on Sens. Sinema and Manchin anymore.
And as we prepare to support pro-voter candidates for the U.S. Senate and key secretary of state offices, as we build up the largest midterm election get-out-the-vote program in MoveOn history, and as we work with MoveOn members and partners to join key state fights to defend and expand voting rights—all of which you'll hear more about in the weeks and months ahead—we're distributing free stickers as one quick and easy way to declare you're still in this fight.
The next lines of defense are the state and local elected officials who run elections. They decide who gets on the ballot, which ballots are counted, where polling places are located, and more.
We've seen the impact elected officials can have on voting rights, including Sens. Manchin and Sinema, who failed to provide for their constituents; Secretary of State Hobbes in Arizona, who didn't let a fraudulent recount overturn the election results;2 and the election administrator in your town who decided what tools each polling place had to count ballots.
MoveOn will be going all-in on key secretary of state races in 2022 for the first time ever to combat the unprecedented attacks our democracy faces. In the weeks and months ahead, you'll get more information about how you can get involved in these races.
We have no time to wallow in despair. Crucial elections will happen this year across the country, and if we don't participate and protect the process, we're sure to lose.
Thanks for all you do.
–Rahna, Vickie, Emma, Sana, and the rest of the team
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