Delaware voters gathered at intersections in Wilmington and Rehoboth earlier this week and urged drivers to honk if they support the freedom to vote. 

The events were part of a national “Time to Act” week of action, designed to demonstrate the urgency of passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Overall, more than 80 grassroots events are being held during the U.S. Senate’s recess week, November 8 – 13. Courtesy photos of the Delaware events are available ici.

The Rehoboth event attracted many people concerned about the state of American democracy. “I have always believed that the right to vote is one of the most sacred aspects of being an American,” said Don Peterson of Rehoboth Beach. “It is a right that deserves protection and expansion. It should be made as easy as possible for all citizens to exercise this right. As soon as the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, on the fallacious idea that voting protections were no longer needed, we saw State after State rush to limit voting rights, especially for the most marginalized in our society. That effort has accelerated tremendously after the 2020 elections based on The Big Lie. I fear that unless the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement  Act are passed now, in this Congress, our democracy could disappear. All Senators who truly believe in democracy MUST assure that these Acts pass, even if it means reforming the filibuster. Our freedom to vote is much more precious than this remnant of the Jim Crow era. This is why I stand on the street in protest. To remind our Senators that nothing is more precious than my vote and our democracy.” 

Participants in Wilmington had similar concerns. “The right to vote is fundamental and critical to creating healthy and safe communities and ensuring our environment priorities, such as access to clean water and air, addressing environmental justice and the climate crisis are achieved,” said Sherri Evans-Stanton from Wilmington, who directs the Sierra Club Delaware Chapter. “The Freedom to Vote Act paired with the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act offers a historic opportunity to protect our democracy and preserve the freedom to vote for all Americans.”

The events were sponsored by Common Cause Delaware, the Sierra Club Delaware Chapter, and Indivisible Highlands & Beyond. Participants held up a variety of signs, some of which called on Sen. Chris Coons to come out for filibuster reform: as Sen. Tom Carper said last week: “No barrier — not even the filibuster — must stop our obligation to our democracy.” 

“I am here asking Senator Coons: which side are you on? I implore him to join us on the side of love, justice and democracy by committing to immediate action on voting rights and fix or nix the filibuster,” said the Rev. Cathy Rion Starr from Milton. “My faith calls me to be here today because democracy is sacred, and every voice matters. Right now the freedom to vote is under attack.” 

On October 20, Republicans blocked the Senate from beginning debate on the Freedom to Vote Act. (Read more about the Freedom to Vote Act ici.)

Then, on November 3, Republicans blocked the Senate from beginning debate on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Nine of the Senators who voted against beginning debate, last Wednesday, had previously voted pour the 2006 Voting Rights Act extension — including Sen. Mitch McConnell. (Read more about the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act ici.)

But there are still options available to pass the bills. Read more here. 

“We cannot allow Black and Brown voters to be disenfranchised because of a Senate rule that has been repeatedly used to prop up Jim Crow,” said Josh Whittaker of Wilmington, a member of Delaware United’s steering committee.

The bills can still get passed this year, but that would require fixing the filibuster. Read more here. 

Delawareans have come out strong for both bills. In August, Les dirigeants de la majorité du Sénat du Delaware et 17 autres législateurs de l'État envoyé une lettre to Senators Carper and Coons, urging them to support an earlier pro-voter bill and “do whatever it takes to pass it and get it to President Biden’s desk.”

« Dans le Delaware, nous avons pris de nombreuses mesures pour protéger et élargir la capacité de nos voisins à voter lors de nos élections », indique la lettre des législateurs. « Cependant, nous ne sommes pas à l’abri des mêmes défis et obstacles auxquels sont confrontés de nombreux autres États. Nous n’avons pas pu adopter le vote par correspondance sans excuse en raison des républicains qui ont abandonné leur soutien initial à la suite de la défaite de Trump. Plus tôt cette année, les républicains du premier État ont également parrainé un certain nombre de projets de loi similaires aux mesures de suppression des électeurs déposées par leurs homologues à travers notre pays. Notre pays a besoin de normes nationales pour garantir la liberté de vote. » Lire la suite ici.