My first time voting was the 2016 presidential election. I still remember how proud and empowered I felt placing my ballot into the drop box here in Oregon, where we have widespread vote-by-mail.
My family are immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico, and having the right to vote is cherished in immigrant communities — especially since a lot of us don’t have that right. That’s why it’s so upsetting to see some states putting up barriers to intentionally stop eligible Americans from voting.
I’m sharing my voting story because I want my U.S. Senators to understand that, for democracy to work for us all, it must include us all.
No one should be effectively denied their right to vote because of their zip code, their work schedule, or because they want to protect their health. I think about my uncles who work all day — 12-hour shifts — and don’t have time to go stand in line for hours to cast a ballot. This is the reality for many hard-working American families, and we need to make sure lawmakers in Washington D.C. take action to ensure we all have flexibility and freedom to vote.
Two bills currently being considered in Congress, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, would implement equally accessible voting options across all 50 states and make sure any changes to voting rules that could discriminate against voters based on race or background would be federally reviewed.
Share your voting story today to move your Senators to support these bills so we can have safe and accessible elections for all.
