| Pamela, Extremists in Congress, in the White House, and on the Supreme Court keep racing to restrict voting rights from Washington. But we aren't powerless to fight back. We can work proactively — at the state level — to pass our own protections. Recently, Georgia lawmakers did exactly that by introducing the Henry McNeal Turner Georgia Voting Rights Act, which would... - Prohibit voter suppression and vote dilution
- Establish a Georgia Voting Rights Commission
- Require transparency before election rule changes
- Prohibit voter intimidation
Here's what lawmakers and voting rights leaders had to say about why this legislation is so critical: "Voting should be easy...consistent...fair. This bill is a practical response....So voting rights and political power don't have to depend on your zip code." —Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Nikki Merritt "The right to vote is the keystone to the arch of human liberty. All of the rights are mere privileges held at the option of others who maintain the right to vote...It is clear that the will of the Supreme Court is to abandon its traditional position in protecting citizens' right to vote." —Georgia Senate Democratic Leader Harold Jones "These legislators are introducing the Georgia Voting Rights Act...because here in Fulton County, our votes are in the custody of the federal government. We have a president who said two weeks ago...Republicans should be running elections." —Fair Fight Action's Lauren Groh-Wargo "The Georgia VRA will prevent discrimination...expand their access to the ballot for all Georgia voters." —NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund's Imani Brooks "Election changes will be evaluated before they take effect, not after they have harmed voters...so that voters are not forced to carry the burden of challenging that loss once damage has been done." —Southern Poverty Law Center's Isabel Otero "If people cannot freely and fairly vote, then nothing we pass carries the legitimacy it claims it might." —Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Nikki Merritt With less than two weeks left to pass this bill until the Georgia General Assembly goes out of session, we need to make it clear that the legislation has a groundswell of popular support. That will also help build momentum for additional state-level Voting Rights Acts across the country. Here are two quick steps you can take: - Share key information about the Georgia Voting Rights Act on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter.
- Add your name to say you back this bill.
It's time to raise our voices — and it's time to defend our democracy. In solidarity, The Fair Fight Action Team |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.