The Freedom to Vote Act is legislation that would improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense federal election standards and campaign finance reforms, and protect American democracy.
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia joined 49 colleagues in reintroducing the legislation this week. Various provisions of the legislation have already been enacted in Virginia, because of negotiations by Kaine, including automatic voter registration, same day and Election Day voter registration, online voter registration and no excuse mail voting.
“The opportunity for every American to make their voice heard is the bedrock of our democracy, but right now the very act of voting is under siege in state legislatures across the country,” Warner said. “The Freedom to Vote Act enshrines in federal law efforts to safeguard democracy from these attacks and protect Americans’ access to the ballot.”
The legislation would also restore the rights of individuals who served time for felony convictions to vote in federal elections.
“The strength of our democracy depends on Americans’ ability to make their voices heard,” Kaine, who practiced civil rights law for 17 years, said. “The Freedom to Vote Act would help expand voting by mail, early voting, and other reforms to make voting easier. These provisions — many of which were adopted in Virginia — are broadly popular among Americans across the political spectrum and are essential to our democracy. It’s crucial that we pass this legislation to protect Virginia’s progress on the federal level, and help states across the country follow Virginia’s lead in making voting more convenient.”
If the legislation passes, Election Day would be considered a public holiday in the U.S.
Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan of Virginia, a member of the Task Force on Strengthening Democracy, is one of more than 130 House Democrats to introduce H.R. 11.
“The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy,” McClellan said. “Yet, throughout our nation’s history, Americans have been barred from participating in this most sacred right, due to the color of their skin, their gender, and more. My great-grandfather was forced to take a literacy test and find three white men to vouch for him to register to vote. Over forty years later, my father had to pay a poll tax to vote. While we have made progress in the fight for voting rights, we continue to see efforts to silence American voices, which is why the Freedom to Vote Act is critically important.”
In her 18 sessions in the Virginia General Assembly, McClellan fought to protect voting rights. Her first bill to pass as a state legislator expanded absentee voting in Virginia, and she worked to pass the Voting Rights Act of Virginia in 2021 which made the Commonwealth the first state in the South to pass a comprehensive voting rights act.
“I am proud to continue my leadership on voting rights as an original cosponsor of the Freedom to Vote Act. Today, our democracy faces unprecedented challenges from political extremists, who seek to spread misinformation, question the legitimacy of our elections, empower special interest groups, and disenfranchise American voters. This landmark legislation takes crucial steps to protect access to the ballot box, end gerrymandering, and ensure secure, accessible, and transparent election processes,” McClellan said.
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Rebecca Barnabi
