As we reflect on the events of Jan. 6, 2020, we are reminded how fragile our democracy is. We, as a nation, watched in disbelief as a group of rioters violently attacked our Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of the presidential election results.
As we move forward to another big election year, many of us are wondering what we can do to strengthen our democracy and restore our confidence in our electoral processes.
The League of Women Voters of Bucks County believes that voting is a critical principle of our democracy, and our democracy is stronger when every eligible voter can cast a vote and have it count. Voting brings us together as Americans – it is the one time when we are all equal.
The League is dedicated to ensuring that all eligible voters – particularly those from traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities have the opportunity and the information to exercise their right to vote.
Voting rights is a nonpartisan issue. Expanding voter access benefits all political parties. Encouraging all eligible voters to participate in our elections should be the intention of all our lawmakers. Those who make baseless claims of voter fraud or rigged elections weaken our democracy by eroding confidence in our electoral process, resulting in voter apathy and low turnout at the polls.
The real problems with our election system are the polling place closures, cuts to early voting, discriminatory voter ID laws that disenfranchise eligible voters, and the illegal purge of registered voters. Secure and accurate results are worth waiting for; prolonged wait times due to counting absentee, mail-in, and provisional ballots are signs that our system is working.
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