Tuesday, June 29, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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Voter disenfranchisement has long plagued our democracy, as barriers to voting are increasingly placed before communities of color. And Nevada’s Hispanic community is familiar with these challenges.
As a force of an electorate in Nevada, we expect that our political leaders will take on issues related to ballot access and campaign finance reform, exerting the political power that voters have granted them.
Fortunately, that is what Nevada has done, passing critical voting legislation that permanently expands mail-in voting and proactively sends registered voters their ballots.
But restoring faith in American democracy is not just about quelling the fears of some concerned with election security. It is about elevating the voices of every voter, and ensuring they are not silenced by big-money corporate and special interests. Thankfully, a bill addressing these concerns is moving through Congress: the For the People Act.
This legislation — which is still viable despite its recent stall in the Senate — would not only extend similar reforms that Nevada enacted this session around mail-in voting, but would also eliminate voter purging and modernize the voter registration process, making it easier for disenfranchised groups to vote while also making it harder for bad actors to manipulate the system through dark money and out-of-state spending.
With the opportunity for continued leadership on these issues before them, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen can demonstrate that they — just like Nevada’s lawmakers — are truly committed to protecting the needs of their constituencies.
The writer represents Ward 2 on the North Las Vegas City Council.
