Voting Rights update with Sen. Schumer Sunday 5:30 pm
Join Sen. Schumer Sunday for a Freedom to Vote Action Event
We've been pushing Congress for months to pass groundbreaking voting rights legislation – and Senate Majority Leader Schumer has announced that the Senate will be holding a historic vote to move forward The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act this coming week. This weekend, we can all help Senator Schumer take this bill to the finish line by calling voters in West Virginia or Arizona and patching them through to urge Sens. Manchin or Sinema to do whatever it takes to pass and protect our freedom to vote.
Join us for the “Fight for Our Freedom to Vote: NYS Virtual MLK Call to Action” event with Senator Chuck Schumer immediately followed by a phone bank connecting voters in key states to their Senator’s offices. Senator Schumer will first provide an update on where we stand on passing this voting rights bill. We’ll honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy and advocacy for an inclusive American democracy. We’ll get fired up with a call to action because this fight isn’t over yet. We hope you’ll stay for a training to prepare everyone for the phone bank, no matter your previous experience level!
We need all hands on deck this weekend before this historic vote. We hope that you can join us for the “Fight for Our Freedom to Vote: NYS Virtual MLK Call to Action” virtual rally and phone bank Sunday, 1/16 at 5:30pm with Senator Schumer! Sign up here now.
IMV's Dr. King Birthday Virtual IMV Call to Action
Thanks to all those who made it to our IMV call to action earlier today. We heard a rousing call to action from Diane Hawkins, Religious Affairs Chair of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference. We watched this powerful video poem in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King's 93rd birthday. And Sarah Reeske read us her fabulous Dr. Seuss style poem about the current struggle to get the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act passed. It was wonderful to see your faces, and your democracy and voting rights signs on the screen!
Update on the fight for the voting rights bills from Sarah:
Voting begins on Tuesday. Sen. Schatz from Hawaii is quarantined and there was a big storm heading towards DC this weekend, so Schumer had to move the date out a day. This is ok because it gives all the Senators time to hear from constituents over this weekend.
Dozens of events like IMV's are happening around the country this weekend. The biggest is probably in Phoenix, AZ where the King family is holding a major event aimed at Sen. Sinema. Indivisible groups in AZ are really doing an amazing job at holding her to be accountable. Dozens of events like IMV's are happening this weekend
As of Tuesday we thought we would have the rules change proposal before the weekend. We don’t have it. We’re all eager to know what they decide on, but because we don’t know, that’s a good indicator that Schumer is still talking to Manchin and Sinema about what they could go along with.
Schumer and the other 48 Democrats will not give up on voting rights. They could have declared defeat this week. Instead, they pressed in even harder on how much this is needed. Every Senator will have the same charge to vote for or against protecting the right to vote next week. Schumer is saying that the “weight of history” on their shoulders.
Do not expect Republicans to vote yes. They are the party of the Big Lie, the Jan 6th Insurrection, and stealing elections. They do not believe in a multiracial, inclusive democracy that is responsive to the people.
Take Action Now by Emailing and Calling
If you would like to hear directly from Sen. Schumer about voting rights, please sign up for the “Fight for Our Freedom to Vote: NYS Virtual MLK Call to Action event” at 5:30pm. It’s 30 mins and then leads into a phone bank training so everyone can do a strategic action, which is calling the constituents of Manchin and Sinema and asking them to call in support of voting right and changing the rules. https://www.mobilize.us/commoncause/event/436979/
Finally, if have not done so yet today, please email and call your Senators using these very easy tools:
Email Your Senators: Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand have been working hard. Include a thank you! https://secure.everyaction.com/bwBXVYCx50uYofGdad1Ttg2
Call your Senators: Fill out the form and your phone will be called, you’ll hear a script, be connected, and then leave a message. https://indivisible.org/demand-your-senator-fix-filibuster-pass-democracy-reform
Thank you for all you are doing this weekend to honor Dr. King by joining together with others and taking acting action in the effort to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
Please check out the calendar below for upcoming events!
Website: indivisiblemv.org
Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
