September 2023
The Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) are imperative bills to pass through Congress in light of ongoing attempts to pass restrictive, anti-voter bills. At least 14 state legislatures enacted 17 restrictive laws during the first nine months of 2023 erecting barriers for eligible voters and disproportionately impacting voters of color, youth, and those with limited mobility. State legislatures continue impeding our ability to vote and have our votes count equally through gerrymandering, voter roll purges, and more than 50 other tactics Reclaim Democracy! has identified across the states. We call on Congress and President Biden to do everything in their power to ensure passage of both the FTVA and VRAA.
Along with protecting citizens from being denied their vote, the FTVA includes key actions to shrink the influence of big money in politics, guarantees congressional districts provide fair representation for all, and creates national standards to ensure the integrity and security of federal elections.
See summaries from the Brennan Center for Justice for detailed information on both the FTVA and VRAA.
Reclaim Democracy! is among more than 250 allied pro-democracy organizations united via Declaration for American Democracy to advance such voter protection measures.
Finally, we must recognize a hard truth: when our ability to vote depends on politicians who control the levers of power in our state, voting is merely a vulnerable privilege and not a right. Ultimately, we must amend our Constitution to embed an affirmative right to vote and ensure our votes count equally.