Halting election sabotage

The freedom to vote is under attack by extremist state lawmakers across the country, including in Pennsylvania, who want to put up deliberate barriers to make it harder to vote — especially for people of color.

Congress must act now to implement national standards for federal elections. The federal Freedom to Vote Act would protect our right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, counter undemocratic and dangerous election sabotage efforts, and help to eliminate the undue influence of dark money in our elections. This bill is supported by the Declaration for American Democracy coalition.

The filibuster rule has stopped the beginning of debate on the Freedom to Vote Act. The filibuster is a loophole, used in the past to block civil rights legislation. The original Senate rules did not include the filibuster rule. The modernday filibuster took root during the Jim Crow era, when it was used to delay passage of important civil rights legislation. This rule prevents change from occurring.

If we reform the Senate’s rules and fix the filibuster, we have a real chance at voting-rights reform as well as action on campaign finance reform, immigration reform, gun safety, raising the minimum wage, climate change, health care, housing equity, and police accountability and racial justice.

We urge Sens. Pat Toomey and Bob Casey to do everything they can to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Enhancement Act, including fixing the filibuster, to realize the promise of democracy for all.

CYNTHIA MAGISTRO

Senior clerk, on behalf of Pittsburgh Friends Meeting House North Oakland