Blog

Wednesday, Oct. 20, the Freedom to Vote Act came up for its first ever vote on the Senate floor. However, the bill failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to move forward, hitting a procedural roadblock on its way to protecting our democracy and expanding the voting rights of every American. 

People often refer to climate change as an “existential threat.” This makes sense; our existence is being threatened. But as a health professional, I’d like to move away from the big, existential side of things and focus on the everyday public and individual human health threats that climate change is already causing and that most certainly will continue to worsen.   

The world of democracy and voting rights is no different. Last week, we highlighted just a few of the change-makers that allow organizations like the League to exist today. Now, we'd like to highlight a few that we know very well: members of Team LWV.

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) is a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latina Americans. This month, I want to highlight four trailblazers who’ve fought for the rights of women and paved the way for the next generation of civil rights activists.   

For those who experience pregnancy, our basic freedoms hinge on our ability to make choices about our reproductive health. Our physical and psychological health, ability to gain and maintain employment, financial resources, and even what we can and cannot eat are all dependent on our reproductive choices. 

On September 16, 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau will deliver their final resources to states to use for redistricting.  The delivery of this final set of resources is the culmination of years of hard work by career staff at the US Census Bureau.  

Like in years past, LWVUS was an official partner of the 2020 Census, helping to prepare and share tools and information to local and state Leagues as they engaged their communities. 

In early September 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbot signed Senate Bill 1 (SB1) into law. This anti-voter legislation makes it virtually impossible for certain voters to cast their ballots. 

Yet shockingly, the situation was almost worse. If not for pro-voter advocacy by the Texas League and other voting rights allies, even more restrictive policies might have been enacted, further disempowering Texans and degrading the promise of democracy.