This story was originally published by Public News Service
By Shanteya Hudson, producer
Public News Service
September 11, 2024
Nonprofit leaders from around the country gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday, pushing for what they are calling “sweeping democracy reforms,” in Georgia and nationwide.
Their focus is on advancing key legislation to secure voting rights and ballot access for all Americans. The measures include the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, which would set national voting standards, including automatic voter registration and two weeks of early voting.
Christine Wood, co-director of a coalition called the Declaration for American Democracy, sees the need as urgent. She said voting barriers have only accelerated since the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
“Every year, bills are introduced and passed in state legislatures that we know have a disproportionate impact specifically on communities of color,” Wood pointed out. “Especially when you look at things like closing of polling places, putting restrictions on early voting or vote-by-mail.”
Georgia has been at the forefront of voting access issues, with laws like 2021’s Senate Bill 202, which restricts early voting and ballot drop boxes and criminalizes providing water and food to people waiting in line at polling places.
David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, also took to Capitol Hill to advocate for accessible and efficient voting processes. He said safeguarding voting rights should be a bipartisan priority. As an educator, Walrod believes being able toĀ vote without barriers is crucial and reflects the core democratic values taught in schools.
“We recognize that one of the roles of public schools is educating students on the role of the government, and educating students about what it means to live in a democracy,” Walrod explained. “Most states have some sort of a civics requirement, some sort of a government participation requirement.”
The groups also are advocating for the Native American Voting Rights Act to improve voting access for tribal communities, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, seeking full congressional representation for the nearly 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C.
