PROTECTING the FREEDOM to VOTE

By Laura Allen

On the 56th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act the right to vote in free and fair elections, fundamental to any democracy, is under assault. Ezra Levin, the founder of Indivisible, put it this way: “Democracy is on the line. …The Republicans are in broad daylight rigging the election for next year. They are on the verge …[of]… gerrymandering themselves into a majority next year. They are already voter suppressing their way into a majority [with dozens of voter suppression laws in states where they control the legislatures] …. [They are] also systematically taking out the handful of Republicans in these states who did certify the election, who refused to go along with the Big Lie…. Not only are they trying to pack the system for 2022, they are setting the stage to disregard the election results entirely in 2024. The courts are not going to save us. …We need federal legislation”.

Federal legislation, the For the People Act, to protect voting rights has already passed the House of Representatives. The For the People Act would invalidate many of these restrictions on voting that have been passed by Republican controlled legislatures to suppress the vote. The Act would bring to all states, as Sen. Ron Wyden put it, Oregon’s “proven system that allows all eligible voters to cast a ballot at home”. Oregon State Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon in Washington, D.C. last week in support of the For the People Act, reported she’s talked to legislators in other states who are surprised “about…how far ahead we are” in Oregon.

The For the People Act would protect the vote with automatic voter registration, same day and online registration, early voting, and limited wait times at polls. The bill would support mail-in ballots for every voter. Regardless, there would have to be a paper trail for elections and better audits of election results and oversight of election vendors. There are also protections against voter intimidation and purging people from voter rolls. The For the People Act is about protecting the freedom to vote.

Other federal legislation, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, would restore the anti-discrimination provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act gutted by the conservative majority of the Supreme Court. This means that if the Act passes, the Justice Department would once again have the authority to invalidate state or local election procedures that discriminate or interfere with voting.

It’s no surprise that this federal voting rights legislation is popular with most Americans tired of the bureaucratic restrictions, long lines, misinformation, and intimidation when they try to vote. Americans understand elections are for them to vote to elect leaders. They understand elections are not for leaders to keep people from voting so they can stay in power or advance a political, race-based, or religious, agenda.

Senate Republicans will use the filibuster, though, to defeat the voting rights legislation. And some Democrats are reluctant to let go of the filibuster. They fear that if the Republicans take control of the Senate next year, without a filibuster, Democrats won’t be able to stop GOP extremist legislation. Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) has a compromise: Keep the filibuster but don’t allow it to be used for legislation dealing with fundamental rights like the right to vote. If the Senate Democrats accept Sen. Clyburn’s compromise, the Senate would pass some version of For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. That means we would protect the freedom to vote for all eligible voters regardless of color, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political views.

What you can do: At least once a week, every day if you can, contact Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley and let them know you support their work in trying to reform the filibuster and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Calls and postcards are best! Or attend their town halls and let them know of your support. Get 5 of your Oregon family and friends to call or send a postcard.

Don’t wait.

Laura Allen is a retired attorney who lives in Clatsop County and is on the state leadership team of Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network (COIN).