55 years ago yesterday, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson to combat institutionalized racism at the ballot box and to help realize the full promise of the Constitution for all voters. In the decades since, far-right extremists — like Donald Trump — have worked to erode that progress.
Check out what local leaders had to say about Trump’s attacks on voting rights in papers around the Commonwealth:
Delaware County Councilmember Elaine Paul Schaefer with an op-ed in the Delaware County Daily Times:
“Unfortunately, voters in Pennsylvania have become a prime target of Trump’s desperate and undemocratic agenda. As we speak, the Trump Campaign is in court trying to suppress the vote in the commonwealth. Further, a pro-Trump activist group is leading efforts to illegitimately purge voter rolls in Delco.
Make no mistake: Trump is trying to save his campaign by disenfranchising everyday voters. Regardless of your party affiliation, we all know that this type of behavior is unacceptable. So let today’s anniversary be a reminder for what’s at stake this fall – equality, fairness, and the rule of law — and plan to exercise your right to vote on Nov. 3.”
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli in the Tribune-Review:
“In 2013, the United States Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, making it easier for states to openly discriminate against voters of color and paving the way for the introduction of at least 70 new bills restricting voting access around the country. And instead of standing up for Pennsylvania voters and pushing back on these measures, President Trump piled on.
Today, Trump and his far-right allies are suing to suppress the vote in Pennsylvania and working to illegitimately purge voter rolls. They’re intentionally making it harder to vote. These actions are part of a broader effort by Trump and his allies to suppress the voices of everyday Pennsylvanians. We can’t let them win.”
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