It Needs to Be Said with VoteRiders
Two voting rights champions speak to efforts to preserve voting rights in the age of strict voter ID laws.
In the wake of an explosion of new laws across the country, Americans are facing complicated and ever-changing voter ID restrictions when registering to vote and attempting to cast a ballot. 38 states currently require some form of ID at the ballot - more than ever before - and that number is only continuing to climb
New and stricter voter ID laws create widespread barriers for eligible voters, many of whom have been successfully voting for years. The rapidly changing landscape of voter ID also creates confusion for voters who will often stay home instead of risking being turned away, shamed, or intimidated for not having the correct form of ID.
As of 2020, nearly 29 million voting-age U.S. citizens did not have a non-expired driver’s license, and citizens of color are 3.7 times more likely to be without an unexpired license or state ID card than white adult citizens. These numbers only grow when you factor in Documentary Proof of Citizenship.
Voter ID requirements aren’t about security at the ballot box, they’re about blocking voters from accessing it. Every year, millions of voters either can’t vote because they lack the required ID or stay home because they are confused about whether they need an ID to vote.
VoteRiders is reaching millions of Americans with the information they need to engage in key elections that impact their communities. Ahead of every election, staff and thousands of volunteers team up to send text messages, make phone calls, and write letters to voters in key states to make sure they’re aware of upcoming elections and their state’s ID requirements for voting. VoteRiders offers free, one-on-one help to any voter who needs an ID, working with people — sometimes for months — to get the underlying documents they might need (birth certificate, Social Security card, etc) and the ID they need to vote.
Given that a small percentage of votes often determines the outcome of close elections, effective voter ID education and assistance makes a real difference.
Learn more about how voter ID laws undermine our democracy and effective ways to fight back against restrictive voting laws with Reverend Monica Spencer and Pam Pearson from VoteRiders.org/Action.
Reverend Dr. Monica L. Spencer, Georgia State Director, VoteRiders
Born into a military family, Reverend Dr. Monica L. Spencer resides in Columbus, Georgia. For over 20 years she has served as a Pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church for parishioners in Virginia, Georgia, and Jamaica, West Indies. Monica has worked extensively with faith communities around social justice issues such as racial justice, health disparities, homelessness, gender equity, sustainability, and food insecurity.
Reverend Dr. Spencer will speak to restoring voting rights in Georgia and the power of grassroots organizing.
Pam Pearson, National Voter ID Assistance Director & Deputy General Counsel
Pam Pearson began her career working on campaigns as early as high school and college, and has been engaged in civics ever since. Pam served as senior in-house litigation attorney for 25 years at one of the country’s largest financial services companies, while also leading several non-profit boards, most of which focused on advancing opportunities for women and women’s rights. In 2020, Pam began as VoteRiders’ first General Counsel and North Carolina Coalition Coordinator, and now leads VoteRiders’ voter ID assistance programs and strategies.
This thought-provoking conversation will be held on Thursday, July 30 at 8 pm eastern, 7 pm central, 6 pm mountain, and 5 pm pacific.
How to Join—It’s not Zoom. You don’t have to register. Read on.
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