Young Voters Celebrate John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

In response to Democrats in the House of Representatives reintroducing the John Lewis Voting Voting Rights Advancement Act, NextGen America President Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez released the following statement:

“Young people nationwide are commending the reintroduction of the John Lewis Voting Voting Rights Advancement Act, a critical piece of legislation that will provide the necessary tools to address discriminatory voting practices and protect all Americans’ access to the ballot box. This bill will restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act and modernize the most successful civil rights law in history.

“This bill is needed now more than ever before. A decade after the Supreme Court gutted the ‘preclearance’ protection in Shelby County, at least 94 laws have been passed across the country that make it harder to vote, with the burden falling hardest on Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous and other voters of color. NextGen is relentlessly committed to protecting our democracy and this legislation is an essential step in our fight for a more representative government that truly represents the will of the people.

“Young voters urge Congress to fulfill their obligations to protect the freedom to vote by enacting this legislation that will fully protect and expand our democracy. We must create a democracy that is representative of, and responsive to, our increasingly diverse nation. It is the obligation of this Congress to guard our democracy — and to continue the work of perfecting our union by protecting the right to vote.”

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About NextGen America

NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-35 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered more than 1.3 million young voters and contacted 9.6 million young eligible voters during the historic 2022 midterm elections.