REP. PRESSLEY INTRODUCES INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY ACT TO GUARANTEE THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR EVERY AMERICAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DECEMBER 6, 2023
PRESS CONTACT:
Sarah Harris, [email protected]
Bill Restores Freedom to Vote for All Americans, No Matter Their Incarceration Status
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Ayanna Pressley introduced the Inclusive Democracy Act, legislation to restore voting rights in federal elections to millions of currently and formerly incarcerated Americans. Polling by Stand Up America and its partners found that nearly 60 percent of voters believe voting should be a guaranteed right for all citizens 18 and older, regardless of their incarceration status.
Stand Up America’s Senior Associate of Policy & Political Affairs, Sunwoo Oh, commented on the introduction:
“Felony disenfranchisement is a stain on American democracy. With over 4.6 million Americans, disproportionately Black and brown, barred from exercising their right to vote, we are falling dramatically short of the promises on which this nation was built.
“We applaud Representative Pressley for introducing the Inclusive Democracy Act. Restoring voting rights to formerly and currently incarcerated individuals is a critical step forward to ensuring that every American can make their voice heard in our democracy.
“Stand Up America’s nearly 2 million members across the country have fought to restore voting rights to justice-impacted individuals in multiple states. Now we are ready to do whatever we can to push this legislation forward at the federal level. We look forward to the fight.”
This year, Stand Up America members mobilized in Minnesota and New Mexico to help pass legislation that restored voting rights to nearly 60,000 formerly incarcerated individuals on parole and probation. In Minnesota, many of those who had their voting rights restored were able to vote for the first time in the November 2023 election.
To speak with a Stand Up America representative about their work to pass federal voting rights, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected].
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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.
Website: StandUpAmerica.com
Twitter: @StandUpAmerica
Instagram: @StandUp_America
Facebook: @StandUpAmerica