RANDOM RESOURCES - VOTER ACCESS (Mar 29, 2021

Inspired by requests and suggestions made at the March 29, 2012 GRBWI Meeting

Gov Murphy Signs Legislation Expanding Early Voting in NJ

On Tuesday, March 30th, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that requires in-person early voting in the state.  “…Allowing in person machine voting at our regular polling places will enhance our residents right to vote,” he said, and compared the new law, which was passed with overwhelming support by the state Senate, to the new law recently signed by the governor of Georgia, which would restrict the rights of Georgians to vote. To read more about thenew law click here.

Virginia governor approves bill aimed at preventing voter suppression and discrimination in elections 
By Taylor Romine and Melissa Alonso, CNN Updated 3:11 PM ET, Wed March 31, 2021

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday approved the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, which aims to eliminate voter suppression and intimidation in the state -- a move that's in stark contrast to Republican-led efforts to restrict voting access in key states around the US (continue reading)
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/politics/virginia-voting-rights-act-ralph-northam/index.html

FYI

From the New Yorker News Desk, March 29, 2021
“Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century” On a leaked conference call, leaders of dark-money groups and an aide to Mitch McConnell expressed frustration with the popularity of the legislation—even among Republican voters. By Jane Mayer https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-the-koch-backed-effort-to-block-the-largest-election-reform-bill-in-half-a-century

In her March 30th “Letters from an American,” Heather Cox Richardson summed up the incident reported by Jane Mayer in the New Yorker article: 

“In the 2020 federal election cycle, dark-money groups spent more than a billion dollars. More than 654 million came from just fifteen groups, the top of which is connected to McConnell. In February, a Data for Progress poll showed that 68% of likely voters, including 57% of Republicans, like the bill that would staunch the flow of this money.

To kill the measure, a research director for an advocacy group run by the Koch brothers said that Senate Republicans would have to use “under-the-dome-type strategies.” That is, they would have to leverage congressional rules, like the filibuster, to make sure the bill doesn’t pass.”

Dark Money a Sundance award-winning documentary, directed/produced by Kimberly Reed (Prodigal Sons) and produced by Katy Chevigny (E-Team).

DARK MONEY (2018), a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, DARK MONEY uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold.

DARK MONEY is available to stream at PBS.org and via Amazon Prime Video.

Info and action opportunities from Common Cause

A few take away’s from “The Filibuster, For the People Act and Fighting Voter Suppression” a webinar featuring U.S. Senator Jeff Markley (D-Oregon).  Here are a few of the takeaways.

The Host: Common Cause is a “nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.” It is well worth your while to check out their informative, action-oriented website. https://www.commoncause.org/ 

One of their most popular webpages: how to contact your state and federal elected official:  https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/

Find a template for writing a Letter to the Editor (lte) in support of the For The People Act as well as links to editors of your local papers here: https://www.commoncause.org/s1lte/

Suggested an article (old op-ed, still relevant in parts) about the filibuster and it's history. Read it here: https://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/theres-nothing-special-about-the-filibuster-095812