Far too Many States Are Considering Extremely Troubling Laws to Suppress Voting

(Washington, D.C., April 14, 2021) In 47 states, legislators have introduced hundreds of bills to restrict access to the polls and suppress the vote.

“Our freedom to vote is a critical pillar to a healthy democracy. Yet, we as a country, have a long history of systemically denying ballot access to women and people of color, and today, we have states all across our country that are once again threatening voting rights.

“In Florida, Arizona, Texas and elsewhere, legislators are pushing extremely harmful provisions that will diminish access to the polls, including restricting mail-in voting, limiting early voting hours and banning drop boxes. Others, including Georgia and Iowa, have already enacted egregious provisions to interfere with people’s right to vote. Most notoriously, Georgia has made it illegal to hand out food and water to people waiting in line to vote — but even worse, the new law has handed politicians the power to interfere with the local vote-counting process.

“All of these different tactics can hinder a person’s ability to cast a ballot, especially if they work two jobs or irregular hours, don’t have access to a car, or don’t have time to wait in long lines. We must all speak out on these proposals, which particularly limit access for Black and Latino voters and others, and are part of a continuing attack on the voting rights of people of color,” said Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President for Political Affairs at EDF Action.

“This is exactly why we need to fight back and push Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These bills create a federal baseline to ensure that all voters have the ability to vote on their schedule either in person or by mail. We should be making voting easier and more accessible, so that no matter your age, race, or zip code, you have a fair opportunity to cast a ballot. Here at EDF Action, we believe all voters should be able to use their voice on the issues that matter most to them and their community, including equity, economic opportunity and clean air and water.”