The League is calling on President-Elect Joe Biden and the next Congress to act on democracy reforms early in 2021. LWVUS has called for national advocacy on HR1, the For the People Act.
This legislation was reintroduced in the 117th Congress to support free, fair and accessible elections and voters’ rights. The House passed it in March 2019 but it was never debated in the Senate. This comprehensive bill would transform our political system into one that is more inclusive, responsive, and representative of the American people. Its reforms would:
- Expand and protect voting rights and access to the ballot;
- Put ordinary Americans ahead of Big Money donors;
- End gerrymandering so that electoral districts are fairly drawn; and
- Clean up government and hold elected officials to the highest ethical standards.
The Voting Rights Advancement Act (HR 4) passed the U.S. House on Dec. 6, 2019. The bill would restore parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the Supreme Court eliminated in Shelby County vs. Holder (2013). States would again have to receive preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes to their voting practices.