Expand the franchise
After yet another attempt at passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Democrats have come up short. I have written about my support for the bill and belief it is fundamental to preserving our democracy but it will not pass this congress. I have held out hope against hope that Democrats will reform the filibuster, find 10 Republicans to join them, do anything to pass this bill but this task is too much. So what is an activist to do?
Work the problem! I have worked several elections volunteering to register voters. My focus has mainly been on the communities most often disenfranchised (women, minorities, the poor, the disabled), and never have I heard anyone doubt the importance of their vote. The issue has often been logistical. When, where, and how. We have enough tech to connect with voters and have the resources through technology to keep them informed and engaged. The only variable is the need to standardize elections.
Although it has received backlash, the Georgia election law provides a roadmap for Democrats. We need to be honest. Although the Supreme Court invalidated preclearance (the ability for the justice department to hold and review potentially discriminatory voting laws before they become law) and gutted the racial disparity test we still have options. We need to observe, orient, decide, and act on voting rights. I do not believe Justice Alito is right that there is equal opportunity to the ballot, or that Chief Justice Roberts is right we are beyond the need for preclearance. Republicans are using proxies for race Democrats can negate that not just for minorities but for their base.
Democrats are not ready for the national voter ID conversation where we give all voters an ID then they need to neutralize other issues. So again the expanding early voting, adding drop boxes and using voter verification. Any form of voter ID should be expansive including any of the following driver’s license, state ID, utility bill, check stub, social security number, notary, etc. This would protect the vote. Most minority voters already support the measure because of fears Republicans will use it to justify throwing out their votes. But Democrats by adding time and ease to the process through drop boxes, early voting, Sunday voting, and standardized rules are strengthening democracy for all voters and will put republicans on the defensive.
Finally doing this does not mean we can not go back and pass some form of the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill, but it would protect and expand the franchise until then. Especially considering there is support for early voting, voter ID, and drop boxes.
(I was called on failing to explain the importance of the provisions. Mail-in and Sunday voting is a preferred method for many minorities especially Blacks in The South who utilize souls to the polls voting. Drop boxes can be a great substitute of ballot collecting derogatorily called ballot harvesting something Native Americans prefer as they often do not have home addresses to send mail. This was at issue for Native Americans in Missouri and Arizona.)