By Rep. DAVID COTE, D-Nashua
During the 2020 election cycle, Granite State election officials were committed to the idea that no one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote. And because of this commitment to American democracy, under these unprecedented circumstances, it became easier to vote here in New Hampshire with expanded absentee eligibility.
This was executed smoothly and led to record turnout all over the state. If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that democracy is at its best when all eligible voters have access to the ballot and H.R. 1, also known as the For the People Act, will help make the ballot more accessible.
The For the People Act would implement measures that would make voting easier. These are measures that New Hampshire and many other states have already executed successfully. For example, in 2020 here in the Granite State, we had broad absentee voting. Voters turned out in record numbers because they were able to use the absentee option.
Granite State voters were also equipped with the correct information they needed to register and vote safely. This information was easily accessible online.
The For the People Act would build on New Hampshire’s voter outreach efforts by making it easier for eligible voters to register online. In fact, this bill is committed to modernizing voter registration by automatically registering voters for federal elections and allowing for same-day registration nationwide.
The more eligible voters who are able to participate in our elections, the stronger our democracy becomes. Central features of the For The People Act include expanding voter access and ending the influence of special interests, millionaires and billionaires, and corporations who spend an absurd amount of money to influence our elections. It will strengthen the FEC’s power to investigate campaign finance violations and crack down on foreign election interference.
This is a groundbreaking, once in a generation piece of legislation aimed at curbing corruption, and Congress needs to pass this common-sense bill, and send it to the President for his signature as soon as possible. The For the People Act would combat corruption and dark money in politics by preventing unscrupulous politicians from using their office to benefit their friends and family.
This bill would also ban lawmakers from sitting on corporate boards, thereby closing the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists. The For the People Act would also close loopholes that allow foreign corporations and foreign nationals to spend in American elections and it will require Presidents and Vice Presidents to release their tax returns.
This restores transparency and public trust in our institutions — public trust that was often broken by the Trump Administration. These are widely popular and logical steps that will ensure integrity in our elections as well as a higher ethical standard for our elected officials.
Despite all of the good the For the People Act does to make voting easier and stop corruption, we continue to see opponents of this common-sense legislation weaponizing easily debunked pieces of disinformation to sow distrust in our democratic process. It also seems that, more often than not, those who oppose the For the People Act are benefitting from the presence of dark money in politics.
Corruption, dark money, and misinformation have no place in American elections. If we want the progress that we’ve seen in the first 100 days of the Biden administration to continue, we need to pass the For the People Act. Our country is strongest when every voter is able to participate in our democratic elections and when dark money is out of the picture.
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