Dylan Wells
December 22, 2021
(National Journal) – Since Biden’s election, Senate Democrats have been unable to overcome the filibuster to pass federal voting legislation, like the For the People Act or John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The caucus is now fully in support of the Freedom to Vote Act, which Democrats argue would help combat voting restrictions and misplaced audit efforts. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would vote to change the rules to pass such legislation in January, but obstacles remain. In the absence of such legislation, Democratic outside groups have ramped up their work in the states, although they stress that efforts at the state level are meant to accompany the legislation, not serve in its place.
End Citizens United/Let America Vote has spent nearly $40 million boosting federal legislation, but also launched new efforts downballot in 2021, like the Democracy Defenders program to help support candidates for secretary of state and attorney general.
“We saw during the election, obviously, attorney generals, secretary of states, battling a lot of the misinformation that was going on and protecting the integrity of the election in the states,” said Tina Olechowski, communications director for ECU/LAV. “A lot of the attorney generals had to file lawsuits to push back against the Trump lawsuits.”
Olechowski pointed to harassment and threats directed to election administrators and officials over the past year, and Trump-backed candidates now running for such positions ahead of the midterms.