Warner, Kaine can extend Virginia’s leadership on voting rights
The identity of our great commonwealth is inextricably linked to our nation’s slow but steady expansion of voting rights. The history of the franchise is the history of Virginia. Indeed, the distinct values upon which our nation and state were founded hinge on the ability of every citizen to participate in our democracy. But efforts by some, who believe that restricting ballot access for communities who do not support them is better than governing in a manner that wins their support, have placed this constitutional right in jeopardy.
As of March, 250 new laws have been proposed in 43 states to limit mail, early in-person, and Election Day voting. These new rules under consideration by state legislatures, which create stricter ID requirements, limit voting hours and increase constraints on absentee voting, are making national headlines — and for good reason. A Washington Post analysis found that this new national push to limit voting by the GOP could “potentially amount to most sweeping contraction of ballot access in the United States since the end of Reconstruction.” That should alarm you.
If that wasn’t concerning enough, the federal Voting Rights Act was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority in 2013. This means there is no longer a federal standard in place to ensure that voters across the country aren’t denied ballots. Instead, the protection of voting rights is left up to state legislatures — many of whom would rather double down on voter suppression efforts than look to support, much less expand, voting rights.
Thankfully, in Virginia, we don’t embrace the past. We learn from it. In the last 14 months, we have repealed our state’s voter ID law, enacted 45 days of no-excuse absentee voting, made Election Day a state holiday, restored voting rights to former felons and instituted automatic voter registration for those receiving a driver’s license. It’s quite a remarkable achievement for a state that previously had to report changes to its elections process to the federal government due to is history of institutionalized racism, including segregation and voter suppression.
I’m proud of Gov. Ralph Northam and our state assembly, as well as Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, for taking voter suppression seriously. The recently approved Voting Rights Act of Virginia, the culmination of a multiyear effort to improve ballot access, will cement Virginia’s status as a stronghold of voting rights.
Warner and Kaine now have the opportunity to build on Virginia’s leadership in safely, properly, and justly expanding voting accessibility by establishing a new federal standard, at the same time ridding our political system of “dark money.” As we’ve seen from the actions of GOP-controlled state legislatures, the right to vote is under threat. And as the influence of shadowy corporate interests over countless election cycles has proven, the true issues that should decide elections can be easily drowned out by special interests.
Currently, a sweeping package addressing each of these core democratic issues is under consideration in Congress. The For the People Act is a voting rights, anti-corruption and ethics reforms package that has already passed the House and is now under review in the Senate. The bill would expand voting access, address challenges voters faced in 2020, and ensure the integrity of our elections. It would also restore accountability in politics, limiting the influence of dark money and ensuring public officials work in the public’s interest.
While opponents of the For the People Act will cite concerns such as voter fraud, states’ rights and election security, the detractors couldn’t be more misinformed. The bill requires all states to replace paperless voting systems, provides funding for states to conduct election and ballot audits and imposes requirements for private election system vendors. If opponents are worried about voter fraud, this bill empowers them to address that concern.
After witnessing the monumental steps we have taken in Virginia to preserve and improve voting access, I hope that Kaine and Warner continue these efforts at the federal level. Supporting the For the People Act is something that they, and Virginians everywhere, should be proud to do. Voting is an American principle and the core pillar of democracy — it’s a right we must promote, preserve and protect.