NBC News’ Tom Brokaw endorsed weekend voting on Meet The Press this morning, and gave a special shout out to our co-founder Ambassador Andrew Young and our organization. Here’s what he said, in response to a question from moderator David Gregory about whether or not the Voting Rights Act is still necessary:

David Gregory: How far have we come, Tom?

Tom Brokaw: Well, we’ve come a long way but the journey is not complete yet. And in fact I feel strongly that in this country we need to expand voting rights and not restrict them in some fashion. I would even move voting day from Tuesday to a weekend which I think would encourage more people who are consumed with working or taking care of children at home can’t get to the voting place. Andy Young, one of the great civil rights leaders has got a movement now called Why Tuesday? — why not move it to encourage more people…

Watch Tom Brokaw’s complete remarks: (more…)

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Statement From Mimi Marziani, Why Tuesday? Director of Operations:

This morning, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether or not to invalidate part of the Voting Rights Act. While this debate is important, it cannot overshadow discussions about what our next voting rights laws should be. Last November, we witnessed unacceptable voting lines, elderly women waiting in line for 6+ hours, and participation rates that continue to put us in the bottom quartile among democracies worldwide. Our democracy is suffering and, whatever the Supreme Court decides, we need real conversation and new legislation to upgrade to a voting system 2.0. When our computers go out of whack, we don’t wait for them to upgrade themselves — we know they are too important. We can’t wait to upgrade our democracy.

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Big news! This morning we’re announcing that Mimi Marziani is joining Why Tuesday? as our new Director of Operations. We couldn’t be more excited to have Mimi leading the charge for us at this crucial moment to make sure America’s voting system works for all of us, not just a select group. Read the complete press release below.

NEW YORK – Feb. 25, 2013 – Today, the nonpartisan group Why Tuesday? named Mimi Marziani as its new Director of Operations.

Ambassador Andrew Young, Chairman of the Why Tuesday? Board of Directors, stated: “Our country is engaged in active discussions about how to fix our country’s voting system, we are extremely fortunate to have Mimi assume the helm at this critical moment.” (more…)

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It looks like President Obama will give yet another shout out to election reform in the State of the Union tonight.

Reports say that Michelle Obama has invited Desiline Victor, a 102-year-old resident of North Miami who waited in line for hours to vote, to sit in her box during the speech.

ICYMI: Election reformers, good news. FLOTUS hosting 102-yr-old who waited 3 hours to vote at SOTU huff.to/12rLSy3via @huffpostmiami

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) February 12, 2013

What will the President say? And will Congress act? Watch this HuffPost Live segment to see what experts from the Brennan Center, Lawyers Committee and The Nation think.

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As we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7th, 1965, we knew that the road ahead was long and dangerous, as change never comes easy. But march on we did, knowing deep in our hearts that one day the murders of Jimmy Lee Jackson, James Reed, and Viola Liuzzo, and the bombing of churches would stir the conscience of our fellow Americans. As Martin often preached, the clarion call for justice must inevitably end the silence of good people; and only then will the promise President Lincoln made in 1863 to right the wrongs of slavery become “a promise kept.”

As foot soldiers in a non-violent crusade, there was one battleground on which we knew we could win the war of bigotry, the one place where all American citizens were equal: the voting booth. As Martin said as we marched to Montgomery, “The longest step for society is that short sweet step to the ballot box.”

Miraculously, 8 days later, President Johnson stood before a Joint Session of Congress and answered Martin’s prayers. Noting that a 100 years was already too long to wait, he vowed to enforce President Lincoln’s promise of one man one vote: “Their cause must be our cause too. Because it is not just Negroes, but really it is all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.” It was the only time I ever saw Martin weep. (more…)

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More people waited in line to vote in 2012 than in 2008. Just check out this infographic from Pew for the evidence.

As Attorney General Eric Holder said yesterday, this is a continuing problem with our voting system that we need to fix.

This means taking steps to address long lines at polling places – and ensuring that every polling place has an adequate number of voting machines. We must acknowledge that giving our fellow citizens access to the voting booth for longer hours and over additional days will enable more of them to cast their ballots without unduly interfering with the work or family obligations that so many have.

Here’s an idea: sign our petition to Congress and the President for the Weekend Voting Act.

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