Transcript MOVING VOTING RIGHTS FORWARD Ellen Buchman Vice President for Field Operations The Leadership Conference Education Fund June 5, 2014

MOVING VOTING
RIGHTS FORWARD
Ellen Buchman
Vice President for Field Operations
The Leadership Conference Education Fund
June 5, 2014
Voting Rights Amendment Act
 Legislative Threshold: What’s needed in a bill?
Constitutional
Can Pass Congress
Protects Voters From Racial And Ethnic Discrimination
Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 (VRAA)
 What did we get in the bill?
Federal Observers
Notice/Transparency
Preclearance Coverage
Enhanced Bail-In Procedures
Preliminary Relief Where It’s Needed
What’s Not So Good About This Bill
 Voter ID
The narrow, yet problematic, language “carving out” voter ID laws from being
cited as a reason for “bailing in” a state or locality for preclearance.
 Practice-based Trigger and Other Protections
More is needed to narrow a legislative trigger to further protect minority voters.
Communications
Overall Message Theme
We need modern, commonsense fixes
to protect everyone’s right to vote and
make sure every American is treated
fairly at the ballot box.
Initial Messages
• Educate
• Urgency and Fairness
• Threat Real
• Support Bipartisanship
• Endorse Key Fixes
• Not about Politics
Audiences
General Public
Grassroots and
Interested Public
Grasstops and
Allies
Elite Media,
Influencers
Policymakers
Communications Strategies
Drive Self-Interest
Flip the Conventional Wisdom
Emphasize Commonsense Progress
Message Values and Threats
Values
Threats
 Inform
x Problem Solved
 Inoculate against Politics
x Gov’t Can’t Be Trusted
x Overreach
 Modernize
 Fairness
 Uniformity
x Unequal Treatment
x Political
x Court Spoken
Message Trajectory
July+
Jan-Feb
March-April
May
June
•Bipartisan praise
•Bipartisan urgency
•Measured
impatience
•Ultimatum and
confrontation, with
attention to the
June 25 one-year
marker of the
decision in Shelby
County
(IF VRAA NOT
ADVANCED)
• Conflict
Week-by-Week Themes and Activities
Week 7 (May 12-18):
“VISIBILITY AND
UNITY”
Week 6 (May 19-25):
“PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT”
Week 3 (June 9-15):
“IMPATIENCE”
Week 5 (May 26June 1):
Week 4 (June 2June 8):
“PRESSURE”
“ESCALATION”
Week 2 (June 16-22):
“ULTIMATUM”
Week 1 (June 23-29):
“CONFRONTATION”
Vote for Voting Rights: A New Social Media Campaign
Coalition groups will be leading an enhanced social media campaign, in order to
synchronize online outreach, involve the base, and demonstrate pressure from civil rights
organizations and the general public.
The core concept of the campaign is that any time an individual or institution posts on a
social media platform (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) about the VRAA, they are casting a
“vote” for the VRAA and voting rights.
Elements of the new “Vote for Voting Rights” social media campaign include:
• Ask: Organizations should ask their members and the public to show why they are
“voting” for the VRAA. This includes asking people to post pictures filling out a mock
ballot, make a video about why voting rights is important, or write about the importance
of free and fair voting. These asks can be disseminated through social media or an email
action alert.
• Targets: Using Twitter in particular, organizations and individuals should also “tweet at”
figures such as Rep. Goodlatte, Rep. Cantor, and others, to ensure they feel the pressure
of this new campaign.
• Hashtag: The main hashtag for the new voting rights campaign will remain
#VRA4Today, as it already has gained awareness and traction after the January rollout.
1. Twitter
The goal of the Twitter elements of the campaign is to create
an echo chamber of on-message tweets to show escalated
pressure on Congress to advance the VRAA and engage
more members of the public around this fight. This includes
original tweets and steady retweeting, as well as
engagement with individuals who are also tweeting. Twitter
will also be a great medium to lift up articles, op-eds, and
other on-message pieces about the VRAA.
Sample Tweets
•
•
•
General
The right to vote is under threat and now is the time for Congress to act! RT
to cast your vote for #VotingRights! #VRA4Today
It’s time to protect the right to vote for all. Congress must ensure we have a
#VRA4Today. That’s why we vote for #VotingRights!
Tell Congress to pass a modern #VRA to protect voters from racially
discriminatory tactics! Learn more: VRA4Today.org #VRA4Today
Directed (other target members can be subbed in, using the same language)
• @RepGoodlatte now is the time to move the #VRAA forward. We cast our vote for
#VotingRights. Hold a hearing on a modern #VRA4Today!
•
•
@RepGoodlatte The #VRAA has bipartisan support, and now is the time to act! Stop
stalling on a #VRA4Today
@RepGoodlatte The civil rights community is calling on you to act. Hold a hearing and
protect the right to vote for all #VRA4Today
Hashtags
#VRA4Today
#VotingRights
#VRAA
#VRA
#Voting
Targets to Tweet At
@RepGoodlatte
@GOPLeader (Eric Cantor’s handle)
@SpeakerBoehner
2. Sample Facebook Posts
• Now is the time for Congress to act on the Voting Rights Amendment Act
and protect voters from discrimination. Learn more at
www.VRAforToday.org & contact your members of Congress to cast your
“vote” for Voting Rights!
• Like and Share this to cast YOUR vote for voting rights! Let’s tell Congress it’s
time to act on a modern, bipartisan VRA that protects all voters and gives
equal access to the ballot box www.VRAforToday.org
• We need your vote to push Congress to act on a modern, bipartisan VRA
that protects all voters! Vote for Voting Rights at www.VRAforToday.org and
tell Congress to act!
• With elections coming up in November, we need Congress act on the
VRAA without delay. Share this post and tell us why you are casting your
vote for voting rights! www.VRAforToday.org
• What’s YOUR reason to vote for voting rights? Share your story below to show
Congress
it’s time to act on a modern Voting Rights Act today!
3. Instagram
If your organization has an Instagram account, this is a great place to post a picture of your leadership or staff
supporting the VRAA, possibly by casting a mock ballot, visiting a polling place, or writing a short sentence about why
you support Voting Rights and how Congress must act. These pictures are also good for twitter.
Membership organizations can also ask their members to post a pic to Instagram showing why they vote for voting
rights with the hashtag #VRA4Today.
4. Organizations to follow and retweet:
• @CivilRightsOrg; www.facebook.com/civilandhumanrights
• @NAACP_LDF
• @LawyersComm https://www.facebook.com/lawyerscommittee
• @MALDEF; https://www.facebook.com/MALDEF
• @ACLU; https://www.facebook.com/aclu.nationwide
• @BrennanCenter – https://www.facebook.com/BrennanCenter
• @myconstitution
• @LWV; https://www.facebook.com/leagueofwomenvoters
• @NAACPNVF; https://www.facebook.com/NAACPNVF
• @NALEO; https://www.facebook.com/NALEOMembers
• @ProjectVote; https://www.facebook.com/ProjectVote
• @866OurVote; https://www.facebook.com/866OurVote
• @fairelections; https://www.facebook.com/FairElectionsLegalNetwork
• @adv_project; https://www.facebook.com/AdvancementProject
• @Demos_Org; https://www.facebook.com/DemosIdeasAction
• @CommonCause; https://www.facebook.com/CommonCause
Field
Suggested Field Actions
 What we need?
In-district visits
Letters to the Editor
Provide information
Visit www.VRA4Today.org
May 28, 2014
Dear Members of Congress:
As organizations that collectively represent tens of millions of diverse people of faith across the
United States, we write to share our strong support for the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014
(H.R. 3899/S.1945) and urge its swift passage by both chambers of Congress.
Many people of faith proudly fought for the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, which took historic
steps to prohibit the discriminatory voting practices that denied and abridged the rights of so
many in our communities. The Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which
stripped critical protections for voters in striking down a key provision of the VRA, reminds us that
our work is far from complete.
The teachings of our respective faiths may diverge on issues of theology and practice, but all
speak clearly of the imperative to pursue justice and treat each and every human being with
dignity and respect. We are united in standing up for those most at risk of having their voices
silenced at the ballot box. We are inspired to do what we can to protect the right of each
individual to play a role in shaping the future of our cities, towns, states and nation. What is at
stake in this fight is the very nature of our society, whether we can truly call ourselves a democracy
in which each citizen can cast a vote to choose our leaders and shape the direction of our
country.
Chief Justice Roberts called upon Congress to update the Voting Rights Act. Every day that
passes without Congressional action brings new voting procedures unreported at best and
outright discriminatory at worst. This bill is not perfect. We remain concerned that voter ID laws
are treated differently from other potentially discriminatory policies and that a “known practices”
formula, which would provide recourse against some of the most common discriminatory
practices, is not included. Yet, we are united in the belief that now is the time to build on the
critical tools in this legislation and stop discriminatory voting practices wherever they occur.
Voting rights legislation has long been—and continues to be—a shining example of bipartisan unity.
We urge you to support the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 (H.R. 3899/S.1945) and see that
its modern, commonsense provisions are swiftly enacted. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary (CT, ME, NH, NY, VT)
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Community of Christ
Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC)
Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York, NY
Disciples Center for Public Witness (Disciples of Christ)
Disciples Home Missions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Disciples Justice Action Network
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Faith in Public Life
Franciscan Action Network
Franciscan Friars, TOR, Province of the Immaculate Conception
Franciscans for Justice
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Global Faith and Justice Project, Santa Fe, NM
Global Justice Institute
Hindu American Foundation
International Council of Community Churches
Islamic Society of North America
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action(JALSA)
Jewish Community Action
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Reconstructionist Communities
Jewish Women International
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
Jews United for Justice
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Keshet
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Leadership Team of the Felician Sisters of North America
Leadership Team, Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, OH
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
Metropolitan Community Churches
More Light Presbyterians
National Council of Churches, U.S.A. National Council
of Jewish Women
National Council of Jewish Women, Austin Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Maine Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Peninsula Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Seattle Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Texas State Policy Advocacy Network
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Pax Christi USA
PICO National Network
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, Detroit, MI
Rabbinical Assembly
Reconciliation Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Reconciling Ministries Network
ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Religious Institute
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Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE)
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, PA
Sisters of St. Francis, Sylvania, OH Sojourners
Surat Initiative
The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists
The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
The Solomon Project
The Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church-General Board of Church and Society
UNITED SIKHS
Uri L’tzedek
Valley Interfaith Council
Wheaton Franciscans, Wheaton, IL
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)
Thank You
Ellen Buchman
Vice President for Field Operations
The Leadership Conference Education Fund
March 5, 2014