ELECT FIGHTERS

I n one fell swoop, the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade denies more than 160 million women their constitutional right over their own bodies and jeopardizes their access to essential reproductive health care services. And, according to one of the court’s written opinions, puts countless other rights at risk — from our right to contraception to same-sex intimacy and marriage.

As Americans we have the power to effect change, and it’s based in our power to vote. If we want government to reflect our best interests, we need to elect people at every level — local, state and federal — who will fight for us and our rights. That includes ensuring every woman’s access to reproductive health care services, as well as other essential issues like education and gun safety.

To put it mildly, this year’s elections are critical. The outcome will affect the lives of millions of Americans and determine whether they will enjoy their full rights. In order to succeed, we simply must register more voters and get them to vote, especially younger people. It’s pretty simple: If you want to reflect the will of the people, you have to hear what they have to say. After all, somewhere around one-third of America’s eligible voters didn’t even vote in the 2020 elections.

I encourage — no, I implore you to ask everyone you know to check their voter registration now. Even if they think they’re registered, check to see that you haven’t been improperly removed from the voting rolls before it’s too late — text VOTER to 26797. As for my colleagues in music, please work with outstanding partners like I Am a Voter (iamavoter.com), a nonpartisan organization aimed at creating a cultural shift around voting and civic engagement, as well as voter mobilization groups like HeadCount, When We All Vote and Voto Latino.

The time is now to elect candidates who will fight for us. The stakes are too high to do anything else.

—Jody Gerson chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group