It is MLK, Jr Day and what better time to look at the voting bills that are being considered in DC…..(by the time this is published I look fore the bills to be squashed)…..

The battle is on for voting rights…..but how many know what the two bills are all about or just what is included in the text?

This is just a little help….before you dismiss these attempts read the info and tell me where the problem is….if there is a problem.

How the For the People Act and Freedom to Vote Act differ

Provisions in the For the People Act and what the Freedom to Vote Act does with them
Keeps a provision
✏️ Amends a provision
➕ Adds a provision
Cuts a provision

For the People Act		Freedom to Vote Act
Prohibit states from requiring an excuse to vote absentee.		Keep
Require states to allow voters to apply for an absentee ballot online.		Keep
Prohibit states from requiring absentee ballots to be notarized or have witness signatures.		Keep
Require states to allow people to register to vote on Election Day.		Keep
Require states to allow people to register to vote online.		Keep

How the For the People Act and Freedom to Vote Act differ

Provisions in the For the People Act and what the Freedom to Vote Act does with them
Keeps a provision
✏️ Amends a provision
➕ Adds a provision
Cuts a provision

For the People Act		Freedom to Vote Act
Prohibit states from requiring an excuse to vote absentee.		Keep
Require states to allow voters to apply for an absentee ballot online.		Keep
Prohibit states from requiring absentee ballots to be notarized or have witness signatures.		Keep
Require states to allow people to register to vote on Election Day.		Keep
Require states to allow people to register to vote online.		Keep

Require states to offer 15 consecutive days of early voting …	✏️	… with some exceptions for smaller or mail-voting jurisdictions.
Require polling places to keep waits under 30 minutes …	✏️	… and prohibit banning giving food and water to voters waiting in line.
Require states that mandate voter IDs to also accept sworn statements signed by the voter.	✏️	Require states that mandate voter IDs to accept a broad and uniform range of both photo and non-photo IDs.
Require states to offer automatic voter registration at the department of motor vehicles and other government agencies.	✏️	Require states to offer automatic voter registration at the department of motor vehicles.
Tightly restrict states’ ability to purge voters from the rolls.	✏️	Modestly restrict states’ ability to purge voters from the rolls.
Implement public funding for congressional campaigns by matching every dollar a candidate raises from small donors with $6 from the government.	✏️	Allow states to choose whether to implement public funding for House campaigns by matching every dollar a candidate raises from small donors with $6 from the government.
Establish specific redistricting criteria for fair maps and require nonpartisan redistricting commissions in every state.	✏️	Establish specific redistricting criteria for fair maps.

New provisions:	➕	Allow election officials to sue if they are undeservedly removed from office.
	➕	Increase protections against intimidating election workers.
	➕	Increase the penalties for tampering with voting records.
	➕	Require more records to be preserved after the election.
	➕	Allow voters to sue if their vote is not counted.
Count prisoners at their last address instead of where they’re incarcerated for the purposes of redistricting.		Cut
Require presidential candidates to release their tax returns.		Cut
Bar members of Congress from sitting on corporate boards.		Cut
Bar members of Congress from using public money to settle sexual harassment or discrimination lawsuits.		Cut
Establish a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices.

Shrink the Federal Election Commission from six members to five in order to avoid tie votes.		Cut
Require states to mail absentee-ballot applications to all voters.		Cut

Sources: Brennan Center for Justice, Congress.gov, Sludge, Washington Post

There is so much more on these two bills….read the article it will help explain what this is all about.

What Might Democrats’ Voting Rights Bill Entail?

Nothing is more important that a citizen’s right to voice their opinion through their vote.

Any assault on these rights is an assault on the very foundation of our republic.

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“lego ergo scribo”