Group urges Senate to pass both the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act now, before Congressional redistricting
ATLANTA — Today, Fair Fight Action, the national voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams, released a statement commending the introduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the U.S. Senate as a critical step forward in the fight to protect the freedom to vote. The group called on members of the Senate to swiftly advance both the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
Together, the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will go a long way toward ensuring eligible Americans can register to vote, safely and freely cast ballots, have them counted, and prevent state lawmakers from sabotaging election administration in order to seize and cling to power.
Fair Fight Action Founder and Chair Stacey Abrams issued the following statement:
“As we face a generational redistricting process, the core voter protection provisions of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act must become law before state legislatures and commissions formally approve new maps. The provisions in the legislation protect the freedom to vote and are overwhelmingly supported by the American people. We call on all U.S. Senators to respond to the needs of their constituents and ensure timely passage of these laws.”
Over 581 anti-voter bills have been introduced in 49 state legislatures in 2021 alone, with at least 52 laws being enacted in 21 states already. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act provides much-needed tools to stop discriminatory voting practices and laws in their tracks and discourage their enactment in the future. With the recent Supreme Court ruling in Brnovich v. DNC undermining the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the urgent need for federal action to protect the freedom to vote is greater than ever.
Between 1996 and 2013, while preclearance requirements were in effect, the Department of Justice made at least 12 objections to proposed voting changes in Georgia, including several changes that would have affected the entire State of Georgia. Fair Fight Action’s report on Georgia’s enduring racial discrimination in voting and the urgent need to modernize the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was submitted as part of the Congressional record.
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