Protect the Inalienable Right to Vote and Our Democracy

A group of nearly four dozen nonprofits from around the country representing diverse sectors has released a statement opposing legislative efforts in Georgia and nationwide to restrict voters’ rights:

Scores of Americans of all races and nationalities have relentlessly fought for years – and even died – to protect our right to vote.

As a unified collective of nonprofit organizations, partners and affiliates nationwide, we firmly believe that every American’s vote is their voice. Any attempts to undermine voters’ access to the ballot box are contrary to foundational rights for everyone in the United States.

The sweeping – and ill-conceived – voting reform law recently signed in Georgia was rationalized by unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the state’s 2020 elections. Therefore, the law, simply stated, is untenable and un-American.

We stand in staunch opposition to the law that we believe will make it especially more difficult for voters in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities to exercise their fundamental right to vote in a nation built on democracy. We reject efforts to pass comparable legislation in other states that restrict voting rights and make it more difficult for people of color to cast their ballot. More specifically, currently there are more than 350 restrictive voting laws in various stages of proposal and consideration around the country.

As nonprofits and industry stewards, we are committed to building bridges to self-empowerment, education and employment for all communities, and especially the historically marginalized BIPOC communities across the country. Our mission, vision and values undergird our belief that all Americans must have their voices heard in a democracy.
The axis on which democracy rests depends on a government that works for every American. All of us are guaranteed the Constitutional right to cast a vote counted without delay or diminishment. A suppression of votes is to deny the public a government elected by the people and for the people.

In unison,

• Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc.
• Asian Human Services
• Bethany United Church of Christ
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Chicago
• Boys and Girls Club of Chicago
• Casa Central
• Carole Robertson Center for Learning
• Centers for New Horizons
• Chicago Commons
• Chicago Youth Centers
• Children’s Home + Aid
• Chinese American Service League
• Council for Health and Human Service Ministries
• Erie House
• Family Focus
• Four Point Play
• Gilead Church Chicago
• Good Shepard Lutheran Church
• Gorham United Methodist
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Heartland Alliance
• Illinois Collaboration on Youth
• Illinois Partners for Human Service
• Jazz Institute of Chicago
• Kids Above All
• Latino Policy Forum
• Lawrence Hall
• Lutheran Social Services New York
• Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
• Marillac St. Vincent Family Services
• Metropolitan Family Services
• National Youth Advocate Program
• New Covenant Development Corporation
• One Hope United
• Organic Oneness
• Play Like A Champion
• St. James Community Church
• Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ
• Safer Foundation
• Stone Temple Church
• The Network for Social Work Management
• Thresholds
• Trinity United Church of Christ
• UCAN
• University Church Chicago
• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
• YWCA
• Youth Guidance
• Youth in Need