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With the introduction of the For the People Act in the U.S. Senate (S. 1), Congress is one step closer to protecting the most sacred tenet of our democracy, the right to vote. The bill is a sweeping reform package that will strengthen that hallowed right to vote, especially in Black, brown and indigenous communities, as well as for the elderly and students.
When enacted, the For the People Act will:
Make voting more accessible for everyone
End partisan and racial gerrymandering
Get dark money out of politics
Restore transparency and accountability in our government
Our organization was founded in 2006 to fight against barriers to voting faced by traditionally disenfranchised communities. Too many states have enacted voter suppression laws since but after the historic turnout in the 2020 election, 43 states have introduced, prefiled, or carried more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access this year and next, with the intention to silence the voices of voters, particularly people of color and students, who in the past election cycle voted in record numbers. This is the most direct assault on our democracy since the Voting Rights Act was passed more than 50 years ago.
We urge the Senate to swiftly pass S. 1 and send it to President Biden so he can sign it into law. There is nothing more essential to our democracy than the freedom to vote. These common-sense reforms will fortify that freedom for everyone.
For more information on the importance of the For the People Act for student voters visit campusvoteproject.org/advocate
-Robert Brandon, President & CEO