Rep. Wild Votes to Protect Access to the Ballot and Pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) voted to pass H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, critical legislation to restore the full strength of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). The legislation follows the Supreme Court Shelby v. Holder decision, which eliminated the VRA’s ability to combat voter suppression and discrimination. Since this decision, at least 23 states have enacted voter suppression laws, including voter purges, strict ID requirements, poll closures, and curtailing of early voting hours.

“The right of all people to fully participate in their democracy is the cornerstone of this great American experiment,” Wild said. “Nearly 55 years after the Voting Rights Act expanded and strengthened the sacred right to vote, access to the ballot box is under unprecedented attack. I’m so proud to support this necessary legislation to ensure every American has the power to choose their government and hold it accountable.”

This historic bill to better ensure that every eligible American voter has full access to the ballot box has the support of a wide range of nonpartisan organizations, including the American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters of the United States, National Education Association, NAACP, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights,  Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Native American Rights Fund.

The Voting Rights Advancement Act reestablishes full protections for voters in states with a recent history of discrimination.  The bill provides a new coverage formula that determines which jurisdictions are subject to preclearance, based on current conditions in response to the Supreme Court decision

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