Dear Leaders and Friends, 

Our fight today is ensuring that every vote counts and every vote is counted. 

The simple truth is we cannot afford to wait one more day to ensure all Americans can participate fully in our political process. For far too long we have gone without the voting rights protections afforded us by previous Congresses and Administrations on a bipartisan basis.  The Supreme Court and legislatures around the country have stripped us of these protections we considered the fabric of our democracy. 

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act restores the integrity and legitimacy of our democracy.  The Freedom to Vote Act will additionally ensure all Americans have free and fair access to the ballot.  If the Senate can change the rules to pass the debt ceiling, they can do it for voting rights.  Democrats and Republicans alike must recognize that the cornerstone of our democracy is at stake and use every tool in their arsenal—including a filibuster carveout—to pass protections. 

• NOW is the time to keep the pressure on the White House and your Senator. CLICK HERE to contact your Senator and demand voting rights! 
• NOW is the moment to ensure the US Senate can consider, debate, and pass the bills that will protect our democracy and our vote. 
  • We want it to be crystal clear, we strongly demand changing the filibuster rules to make sure the two democracy-defining bills can be passed by the Senate and sent to the President’s desk for signature.  
• NOW is the time for us to pivot to the election realities of 2022 and make it clear in States like Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan and many others that we will not stop until we win it all for our communities.  

At this critical juncture in our democracy, now is the time to march forward to march forward as a nation and ensuring our democracy reflects equity. Nothing is more important than voting rights when it comes to eradicating systemic racism and inequality. 

WE THE PEOPLE want and need to know our elected representatives are leading on all fronts and not leaving anything to chance. 

Fighting Forward, 

–Derrick 

P.S. A Highlight of our Continued Work on Voting Rights …  

The NAACP has continued to lean in on the protection and expansion of voting rights. In the summer we joined the Fighting For Our Vote coalition (ACLU, AFSCME, AFT, NEA, AFL-CIO, SEIU) and focused on targeted states and U.S. Senators championing the passage of voting rights legislation. In Early November, in coordination with National Action Network, National Urban League, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Fighting For Our Vote and the National Council of Negro Women, we produced a Democracy Scorecard. This scorecard graded US Senators on their performance defending voting rights; grades of A (pass), I (incomplete) and F (fail) were given based on their votes on the American Rescue Plan, the For the People Act, John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as well as their support for eliminating the filibuster. 

Members and volunteers from the NAACP and partner organizations delivered the scorecards in person, to select Senate offices praising the (A’s) and demanding that those who failed or had incomplete records on voting rights do better (I’s & F’s) in DE, FL, GA, VA and WI. We’ve kept the pressure on the Senate moving from 13 I’s in early November to 48 A’s (pass) with just two hold outs from Senators Manchin (WV) and Sinema (AZ). We must keep the pressure going. As Black leaders from across the country pressure the White House and Senate to take bold action on voting rights, we encourage you to stay in this fight. Please call your senator and tell them to pass voting rights. For more information, please go to www.civilrightsscorecard.org. 

Derrick Johnson

President & CEO NAACP

410-580-5600

NAACP | Empowerment Programs

WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN!

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed”

 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.