On Aug. 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. The anniversary of this landmark legislation provides the opportunity to reflect back on the initial event, examine the present, and look forward to the future. Although the Fifteenth Amendment outlawed discrimination in voting, African Americans in the South faced serious obstacles to voting including literacy tests, poll taxes, intimidation, and violence. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 counteracted these practices and more. Voter participation among people of color increased immediately, with a quarter of a million new Black voters registered by the end of 1965. Examining our present-day access to voting reveals causes for concern. In the decision which established “one person, one vote,” Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote, “The right to vote freely for the candidate of one’s choice is the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government.” And yet, in 2021 49 states have introduced more than 400 restrictive pieces of voting legislation. Some even call for legislatures to determine the outcome of an election. Texas state representatives are so concerned about their state’s voting legislation that they are in Washington DC to prevent a quorum in their legislature and to speak with members of Congress. Laws such as these present an existential threat to our American system of government. How can we protect the freedom to vote and ensure that each vote counts? S1, the For the People Act, provides minimum requirements for election access, integrity, and security. It reforms campaign financing and sets ethics standards for all federal elected officials. We face an inflection point in our democracy. Call our senators at 888-453-3211 and tell them to work for passage of the For the People Act.
Lisa Olson Bundy
Antrim