Voting Justice

Headed by the Reverend Peter Cook, Voting Justice Task Team

Current Actions Sign On

December 27, 2023

December 27 - Please sign-on - TOWARD A COVENANT ON BEHALF OF NEW YORK’S NEWEST NEW YORKERS

December 21, 2023

December 21 - Call or email your elected officials and urge them to support an immediate, sustained ceasefire in Gaza

December 14, 2023

December 14 - Call Gov. Hochul 866-583-2908 and urge her to sign the NY Tropical Deforestation Free Procurement Act.

Policy Statement

The ability to vote is a full affirmation of the divine worth of every person as a child God. We strongly advocate for every person to have the right to vote and to make the voting process as easy as possible. We reject all efforts at voter suppression.

Local Legislation

State Legislation

On Tuesday, November 2, five initiatives will be on the ballot. Four have to do with voting and redistricting and one has to do with putting the Green Amendment in the New York Constitution. Click here for a full description of all the initiatives 

Federal Legislation

For the People Act (HR!) was passed by the House. The companion bill in the senate is S1 and has as of October 6, not been voted on in the Senate.

John Lewis Voting Rights Act has passed the house but is pending in the Senate.

Freedom to Vote Act is a compromise piece of legislation authored by moderate senators who sought to craft legislation which would garner 60 votes needed for passage in the Senate. Here is a full description of that Act by the Brennan Center.

In addition, the Brennan Center offers this updated comprehensive overview of the current political state of play of the John Lewis and Freedom to Vote Acts and what is happening with voting rights at the state level.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-october-2021

https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/ensure-every-american-can-vote/voting-reform/strengthening-voting-rights-act

The Times West Virginian, in an October 3, 2021 editorial explains the reasons we need a Federal solution to voting rights and the status of HR! and John Lewis Act and the subsequent Freedom to Vote Act.