One week after we kicked off our 2012 campaign with a call for a Voting Rights Act of 2012, Congressman John Conyers chaired a congressional forum in Washington, D.C. to hear testimony about the current voting rights crisis in the United States.

“The loudest sound that exists in a democratic society is the voice of a voter in an election. Ensuring that every veteran, every senior citizen, every student – whether born or naturalized – has the right to vote should not be a partisan issue, it should be a legal and moral imperative of both parties,” said Rep. Conyers in a statement.

We’d like to thank Matthew Segel, our friend and partner from Our Time, who testified to the committee and advocated moving Election Day from Tuesday to the weekend to increase participation. (more…)

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The 111th Congress was sworn in yesterday in Washington, D.C. (with two exceptions) and it sounds like folks are already getting back to work. Stay tuned here for all things election reform, including the latest on the push for Weekend Voting by U.S. Representative Steve Israel, the only member of Congress to become a Why Tuesday? correspondent, and Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin. Sounds like they’ll be back at it again in 2009.

For some background, read Rep. Israel’s and Why Tuesday? Board Member Norman Ornstein’s New York Times op-ed in support of Weekend Voting.

Photo of U.S. House Oath of Office by U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx on Flickr.

Posted in Congress, D.C., Election administration, Election Reform | Comments Off