WASHINGTON — Today, Robert Brandon, President & CEO of Fair Elections Center, a leading national, nonpartisan voting rights and election reform organization, issued the following statement after the Senate voted on the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act:
“Over the past year, a minority of Senators have repeatedly exploited the filibuster to block federal bills crafted to protect the freedom to vote, despite consistent support from a bipartisan majority of voters. It is extremely disappointing to realize that some of the most significant civil rights gains in our history, including the 14th and 15th Amendments, would not pass today under this current state of affairs.
“Our Senators must decide whether they want their legacies to support or obstruct the freedom to vote. Protecting the freedom to vote is more important than partisan politics or outdated procedural loopholes. The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act would help ensure that everyone can cast their ballot safely without interference, and it will bring down barriers to voting that disproportionately harm Americans based on their race, age, ability, or income. This bill would also address partisan gerrymandering so that voters elect their leaders rather than leaders selecting their voters.
