DEFEND DEMOCRACY
101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
New York State has long ranked near the bottom of the list for voting rights in the United States, despite being a blue state that has been largely governed by Democrats for years. Only after 2018, following the defeat of the IDC in the NYS Senate, have we begun to make strides to catch up with voting rights expansion and make it easier for people across the state to vote, and we are still catching up. Our state Board of Elections is in dire need of reform, and voting is still difficult for many, leading to decreased participation and typically low voter turnout in many localities.
In addition to the work needed in New York State, voting rights have been under prolonged attack by the Republican party at the federal and state levels. Following the gutting of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by the Supreme Court, regressive voter suppression laws have been implemented all around the country, and new federal law is desperately needed to restore the VRA and implement new protections to guard against partisan gerrymandering, voter suppression, and dark money influence on politics.
ESI POSITIONING
Empire State Indivisible sees defending and expanding democracy as one of our core priorities and foundational to every issue we care about. We work in coalition across the state and federal level to advocate for voting rights legislation and fight back against efforts to suppress the vote. We proudly work in partnership with Indivisible chapters and other allies across the country to advocate for federal democracy reforms like the For The People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and with the Fair Elections and Let NY Vote coalitions in New York State.
TAKE ACTION
Call your representatives to express support for the For The People Act in the US House and Senate.
Additional Resources
https://www.fairelectionsny.org/
ESI Press:
Judith Hertzberg given on July 28 2021 on voting issues in New York City
Ranked-Choice Voting is the Next Step in New York Voter Empowerment
Cuomo's Budget Proposal Would Force Activists to Register as Lobbyists
Opinion: Funding for Public Financing is Essential to Fight for Equality in NYS
It's Time for a Full-Year Legislative Calendar in Albany In the State Senate
The Brewing Democratic Fight Over Biden’s Cabinet (newrepublic.com)