ATLANTA — Black Voters Matter, alongside its civil rights and advocacy partners, urges candidates running for office this midterm season to sign a printed contract to affirm their support for voters’ rights.
The contract – part of the larger One Million for Voting Rights campaign – is a key element of a new ad drive that starts this week. It calls on political candidates to take a firm stance on upholding democracy as voters head to the polls. By signing the contract, candidates convey their dedication to the passage of legislative bills and measures including the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which, among other things, would restore the Justice Department’s authority to police election laws in states with a history of discrimination; the Admission Act that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state of the United States; and filibuster reform that would eliminate further barriers to voting rights, democracy or constitutional measures.
Despite nearly two years of Capitol Hill protests, White House demonstrations, letters, petitions, and acts of civil disobedience from voters and activists demanding passage of comprehensive voting rights legislation, voters still do not have free and fair access to the ballot box as we continue to see voter suppression tactics on the rise this election season,” said Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown, co-founders of Black Voters Matter. “This ad campaign is an extension of our #1MStrong for voting rights work and a reminder that voter rights are still in jeopardy. Along with our partners, we are ringing the alarm and urging all candidates running for office this year to be clear about where they stand on voting rights. With our democracy still on the line, voters should know who they are voting for and hold them accountable.”
Ads will appear in daily newspapers in Pennsylvania and North Carolina as those states prepare to vote this week. The campaign will expand to additional news outlets nationwide in the coming weeks.
