by Robin Anderson (Pastor, Commonwealth Baptist Church), Marty Anderson (Pastor, Commonwealth Baptist Church), Kevin Agee (Pastor and Presiding Elder, Russell Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church), Kate Costa (Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church), Jennifer Hawks (Director of Advocacy, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship), Olivia Patterson (Associate Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Alexandria/PCUSA), Leah Davis (Pastor, Ravensworth Baptist Church), Bishop Carroll Baltimore
In Virginia, the ability to vote in free and fair elections is one of our most cherished and celebrated constitutional rights. Particularly for African Americans and other minority communities, it is a right that has been hard fought and won over generations of tireless advocacy and activism. However, we must also recognize that, for far too many people in Virginia, the fundamental right to vote is increasingly threatened by partisan politics, dark money, and inequitable, discriminatory policies.
Throughout our nation’s history, threats to our democracy have emerged time and time again. As faith leaders, it is our duty to help defend what is right and just by working to strengthen voting rights for everyone, particularly those whose voices are frequently unheard in the halls of government. This is not a partisan issue, but it is a matter of right versus wrong.
Fortunately, there are leaders in Congress working tirelessly to enhance access to the polls and protect our democracy while ensuring all Americans have equal voting rights. Senator Tim Kaine, for example, is championing two bills that would go a long way in strengthening voter access and providing all Americans, regardless of their race, economic status, or location, with equal opportunity to have their voice heard.
The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act are both critical pieces of legislation that would work together to help strengthen voting rights. The bills aim to prevent partisan gerrymandering, dark money, and discriminatory election practices from unfairly disadvantaging or silencing the voices and free will of the American people.
If passed, the Freedom to Vote Act would help bolster access to the polls, providing greater opportunity for voter registration and expanding the early voting period. The bill would also help end the highly partisan gerrymandering that both sides of the aisle use to reshape state and federal legislative boundaries to ensure their party’s continued dominance while silencing the voices of voters. Lastly, it would protect voters from dark money interests that have too much influence and power over our elected officials and democracy by increasing transparency and donor disclosure requirements for large political spenders.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would complement the Freedom to Vote Act by increasing protections against unfair and discriminatory policies and practices put in place by local and state governments. This would help restore the original intent of the historic Voting Rights Act passed as a result of all the hard work and social activism of the late Congressman Lewis, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
As faith leaders and Virginians, we believe these pieces of legislation will do more than just strengthen and protect our democracy; they will help put our country back on the moral path that gives all Americans basic freedoms and civic responsibilities. We are grateful to our United States Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine for continuing to support efforts to pass both much-needed bills, and hopeful that the rest of Congress will heed their call to help protect the integrity of our elections and our nation.
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