Every State, Every Vote and Stand Up America Call For $4 Billion In Election Assistance Funding
NEW YORK — Earlier today, Stand Up America hosted a press call with Every State, Every Vote Co-Chairs Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Stacey Abrams to urge Congress to immediately provide $4 billion in election assistance funding for states to protect voters’ rights during the coronavirus pandemic.
While Congress has already approved $400 million in election assistance funding, the groups believe that is simply not enough to make our elections safe, fair, and accessible during this national crisis.
The speakers on today’s call demanded that the next coronavirus response package provide the additional funding states require to:
- Implement vote-by-mail, including guaranteed no-excuse absentee voting;
- Provide safe in-person voting opportunities, including increasing early voting; and
- Expand online and same-day registration nationwide.
“None of us know how long this pandemic will last, but we do know that it is a threat to our health, our economy, and to our democracy. This is not a theoretical problem—the coronavirus is already disrupting elections, as we’ve seen with delayed primaries, and voters have already been forced to choose between their health and casting their ballot, as we saw in Wisconsin,” said Stand Up America Founder and President Sean Eldridge. “We’re running out of time to ensure that states get the funding that they need to implement these measures, and so the next coronavirus response package must include $4 billion in election assistance funding.”
“No aspect of our lives will remain untouched by this virus. But, as a Governor, I know that when the foundation of our society is rocked, we must ensure that the foundation of our democracy stays strong. That means we must ensure that the act of voting isn’t a life or death decision,” said Governor Kate Brown. “To ensure that we, as Governors, can protect the health of our people, we need adequate funding from the federal government to protect the sanctity of our elections.”
“We need Congress to act decisively so that voters across the country do not have to choose between their health and participation in our democracy—like the travesty we saw play out in Wisconsin just a week ago,” said Stacey Abrams, Founder of Fair Fight. “The price tag for our democracy in 2020 is $4 billion. Congress must immediately pass legislation to provide states and territories with the $4 billion necessary to expand vote-by-mail options, including no-excuse absentee voting.”
In March, Stand Up America launched a national campaign urging lawmakers to swiftly pass legislation that would provide states funding to implement no-excuse absentee voting and vote-by-mail, as well as expand early voting and online voter registration. The group has driven nearly 100,000 constituent calls to Congress and recently sent a letter to congressional leadership demanding $4 billion in funding.
# # #