In Support of Voting Rights

Adopted at the 89th Annual Meeting in 2021

  • WHEREAS, voting is essential to maintaining and preserving democracy and of the most important rights and responsibilities that U.S. citizens have; and

    WHEREAS, American democracy is stronger when all eligible voters participate in elections; and

    WHEREAS, everyone's vote matters, regardless of who you are, where you live, or what party you belong to; and

    WHEREAS, our vote can be our choice; and

    WHEREAS, voting rights around the country are under historic attack; and

    WHEREAS, the fight against restrictive voting measures is the most significant test of our democracy we've seen for decades; and

    WHEREAS, since January 1, 2021, at least 18 states have passed laws that restrict access to the ballot according to the Brennan Center; and

    WHEREAS, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, the most significant voting rights and democracy reform passed in more than a century, but the Senate has failed to take up this critical legislation; and

    WHEREAS, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore a provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013,

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which is meaningful legislation protecting voting rights including the right to vote, the procedure of voting and democracy; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the Senate to pass H.R. 1, For the People Act without delay; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors objects to any effort to restrict voting, especially those being pushed by state legislatures nationwide.
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