-
Updating the Electoral Count Act of 1887
For a downloadable two-page info sheet on the Electoral Count Act, click here or scroll to the bottom of this post. The Electoral Count Act (ECA) of 1887 sets out the process of casting and counting electoral votes after a presidential election. It is intended to encourage states to resolve controversial electoral outcomes prior to sending results to Congress in order to avoid the conflicts of interest and pursuit of partisan power that would likely occur if Congress were charged with resolving every election dispute. Unfortunately, the text of the ECA is confusing and antiquated, which means the counting of electoral votes remains vulnerable to abuse by partisan actors. The…
-
Call to Action: Ask Your Senator to Bring the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to Debate
Without protected voting rights for every eligible American, it is impossible to have a government that is truly representative of and accountable to the people. To this end, H.R.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 (VRAA), was designed to protect the right to vote for Americans who experience voting discrimination on the basis of race, color, or language minority membership. It amends the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 by strengthening its power to protect voting rights and updating its requirements to be specific to the modern context of voting discrimination. The bill was passed in the House strictly along party lines. It now goes before…
-
Call to Action: Respond to the House Vote to Hold Stephen Bannon in Contempt of Congress
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday, October 21, to hold Stephen Bannon, a podcast host who served briefly as chief strategist to former President Donald Trump, in contempt of Congress. Bannon refused to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 select committee for documents and testimony in regards to the January 6 attack on our government and the Capitol building. The House voted 229 to 202, with nine Republicans joining Democrats to recommend charges against Bannon. Attorney General Merrick Garland will make the final decision on whether to prosecute and has yet to indicate how the department will respond. To do Contact your members of the House to let…
-
Call to Action: Ask Your Senators to Engage in Discussion of the Freedom to Vote Act
Equality, freedom, and representation are central to the practice of democracy. To remain a democratic republic, the U.S. must protect the voting freedom of every eligible American, ensuring our ability to participate in free and fair elections. Among American voters, there is wide bipartisan support for federal protection of voter rights. Recognizing this, historically both the Republican and the Democratic parties have overwhelmingly supported the Voting Rights Act and its renewals. Unfortunately, since the November 2020 election many state legislatures have passed legislation to restrict access to the ballot. In all cases these have been strictly partisan initiatives. The Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA) is intended to provide much-needed reforms…
-
Call to Action: Protect Afghan Women and Support Urgent Afghan Refugee Resettlement
Over the last few days the world has been witness to the precipitate fall of the Afghan government and army. The rapid entry of the Taliban into all major Afghan cities has exposed countless American citizens and our Afghan allies to violence and retribution at the hands of the invading army. While the situation on the ground is rapidly changing, it is clear the U.S. government is making significant efforts to airlift out U.S. citizens, as well as those who were directly employed by the U.S. government. But it is not clear that there is a pathway to safety for women who are not directly employed by our government. Afghan…
-
Open Letter to U.S. Senators Asking for Debate on S1 to Ensure Equal Citizen Access to Participate in Federal Elections
(To send this letter to your senators, please go here.) Dear Senators, E pluribus unum — out of many, one. We are deeply committed to this vision for our nation and believe it is reflected in our governing principles. As a nonpartisan organization made up of women with diverse political views, we have experienced the benefits of good faith discussion and compromise. As S1, the For the People Act, is brought to a vote, we ask you to come together with your colleagues and model open, intelligent, and collaborative governance, including honest debate. We ask for sincere engagement with legislative efforts that reflect the clear will of the American people…
