WASHINGTON — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is launching a State Voting Rights Council with Democratic state legislators from across the country. The council will convene legislators to strategize about fighting GOP voter suppression — legislatively or judicially — and access national resources in the fight to preserve Americans’ political freedoms. Because of their control over voting laws and the upcoming decennial redistricting process, state legislators are on the front lines of the battle over voting rights.
Republican-led states have spearheaded an unprecedented push to restrict Americans’ voting rights this year, introducing over 400 bills that would increase barriers to the ballot box. The GOP effort comes as elected officials continue to spread the repeatedly debunked myth that electoral fraud cost President Trump the election, misinformation that inspired the deadly insurrection on Capitol Hill earlier this year.
In stark contrast to Republicans’ rejection of democracy, Democrats have taken the lead on expanding access to voting, decreasing unnecessary barriers in many states by implementing policies like automatic voter registration and expanded early and mail voting. Democracy can only function when every voter has an equal opportunity to make their voice heard.
“Republicans’ embrace of voter suppression is an existential threat to the future of our democracy,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Jessica Post. “As we’ve seen before, Republicans are so terrified of being held accountable by the voters that they’ll stop at nothing to strengthen their grip on power. Our country was founded on the principle that Americans should have a say in how they’re governed, and state Democrats are ready to stand up and fight for the right to vote.”
The membership of the DLCC State Voting Rights Council includes:
- Nevada Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, co-chair
- Michigan Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich, co-chair
- North Carolina Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue
- Georgia House Democratic Leader James Beverly
- Arizona House Democratic Leader Reginald Bolding
- Florida Senator Janet Cruz
- Pennsylvania Senator Vincent Hughes
- Wisconsin Senator LaTonya Johnson
- Hawaii Senator Gilbert Keith-Agaran
- Iowa Representative Jennifer Konfrst
- New Mexico Representative Javier Martínez
- Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton
- Kentucky Senate Leader Morgan McGarvey
- New York Senator Zellnor Myrie
- California Senator Josh Newman
- Texas Representative Chris Turner
- Washington Representative Javier Valdez
###
