No More Excuses: Voting Rights Now!

From August to November 2021, LWV joined Declaration for American Democracy, People For the American Way, and hundreds of other activists, religious leaders, and civil rights icons in a series of actions demanding that President Biden use the full power of his office to support federal voting rights legislation.

The Fight Isn't Over

We're still working daily to protect and expand the freedom to vote. Here are a few actions you can take:

Let President Biden know that he must do all he can to protect the freedom to vote;
Join our OutreachCircle to get daily updates on ways to advocate for voting rights;
Support our advocacy with a donation.

Photo of Dr. Deborah Ann Turner, Rabbi Pesner, Virginia Kase Soloman, Rev. McDonald, and Ben Jealous holding a banner that reads "President Biden, No more excuses: Voting Rights Now!"

Why We Took Action

In 2021, states across the country introduced hundreds of bills that raising deliberate barriers to our ability to cast our ballots freely, safely, and equally. Millions of Americans stand to lose access to the vote, the vast majority of them people of color, women, disabled people, and young people.

The right to vote is under attack. President Biden must use whatever means necessary to compel Congress to pass voting rights legislation and ensure the freedom to vote for all Americans.

Our Actions

November 17

In our final and largest action of the series, roughly 200 people risked arrest, including League members from across the United States.

November 3

Youth activists led the call to promote the freedom to vote and fix or nix the filibuster. Participants included:

Yolanda Renee King, activist and granddaughter of Martin Luther King, Jr.;
Addison Rose, youth mayor of DC;
Jagger Goldberg, activist and daughter of Soleil Moon Frye; and
Youth activists from Blue Future, March For Our Lives, Drum Majors For Change, Future Coalition, the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute, and many other great organizations.

60 protestors were arrested as a result of this action.

October 19

Faith and civil rights leaders, state and local representatives, and League members gathered in front of the White House. 25 people were arrested, including LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomón.

Read our press release.

October 5

Freedom to vote advocates and coalition partners, led by Declaration for American Democracy, the League of Women Voters, and People For the American Way, marched to the White House and rallied for voting rights legislation. Five protestors were arrested for their participation.

August 24

Just over one hundred years ago, our suffragist mothers staged protests in front of the White House demanding President Wilson make bold use of his influence to get the 19th Amendment passed and include women in the franchise. On August 24, we carried on the legacy of the suffragists as we demanded our President go all-in for American voting rights.

The rally was emceed by Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the the League of Women Voters of the United States, and Ben Jealous, president of People For the American Way.

We heard from following leaders:

Partners

A star next to the words "People For the American Way"

Text reading "Black Voters Matter" with a raised fist as the "L"

The crown of the Statue of Liberty over the words "Declaration for American Democracy"

Hands reaching up towards the sky, with one in the center holding a torch, over the words "Democracy Initiative"