Contact: Erin Williams, ewilliams@faithinaction.org, (202) 748-0699 or 

Heather Cabral, heather@westendstrategy.com

WeVoteWeCount.org aims to drive change ahead of 2020 presidential election 

WASHINGTON – Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Faith in Action has partnered with the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative to launch WeVoteWeCount.org, a new website where voters can share their past experiences facing interference at the polls, difficulties registering to vote, and other barriers to voting. WeVoteWeCount.org also demands action that guarantees full voter protection for every citizen during the 2020 presidential and future elections.

The 5-4 Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision in 2013 allowed states to institute restrictive voting policies that disproportionately affect communities of color. Since then, voters across the country have reported experiencing significant roadblocks to voting. WeVoteWeCount.org will give voters a chance to share those experiences, either in writing, by submitting an audio recording, or by uploading a photo or short video. Stories will be published on the site and compiled in a comprehensive report that will be released to the public this summer to draw attention to discriminatory voting practices experienced by voters across the country.

A spokesperson for The Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative said in a statement, “Every American should have a constitutional right to vote, and every one of those votes should count. WeVoteWeCount.org will make sure every story of voting interference counts, too. We encourage voters from all walks of life who have faced barriers to voting to visit WeVoteWeCount.Org to share their story. By drawing back the curtain on discriminatory voting practices across the country, WeVoteWeCount.org empowers voters to collectively use their voices to spark real change ahead of 2020.”

Communities of color have encountered a longstanding history of racially discriminatory and oppressive laws that limit access to voting. Since the Shelby County v. Holder decision, several states, including Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and many others have instituted restrictive voting measures that unfairly target and affect communities of color, impeding their abilities to register, vote, and impact national and local issues.

And this interference doesn’t just affect communities at the ballot box: the U.S. Census Bureau uses statistics from voter turnout data, and from that data crucial decisions are made—including how schools, fire departments, and other public services are funded. If communities of color and other historically underrepresented voters aren’t counted at the polls, they also won’t count in the census, which can have devastating consequences for the neighborhoods where these voters live. With the presidential election and census approaching in 2020, now is the time to address discriminatory voting practices that prevent Americans from casting a ballot and being counted.

To submit a story or learn more about this critical voting rights effort, please visit WeVoteWeCount.org.

###
Faith in Action, formerly known as PICO National Network, is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. The nonpartisan organization works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 46 local and state federations. For more information, visit www.faithinaction.org.

Faith in Action is a 501c(3).  Faith in Action and its affiliates are non-partisan and are not aligned explicitly or implicitly with any candidate or party. We do not endorse or support candidates for office.

About WeVoteWeCount.Org: WeVoteWeCount.org is a digital platform designed to give voters a place to share stories of interference at the polls, difficulties registering to vote, and other barriers to voting. Communities of color have faced a longstanding history of racially discriminatory laws that limit access to voting; WeVoteWeCount.org will shed light on these unfair practices and spark change ahead of the 2020 presidential election and 2020 census so that every voice is heard –  and counted. WeVoteWeCount.org is an initiative launched by the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative: Advancement Project, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Demos, Faith In Action, NAACP, National Congress of American Indians, National Urban League, Race Forward and UnidosUS.

About the W.K. Kellogg Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative: Advancement Project, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Demos, Faith in Action, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Congress of American Indians, National Urban League, Race Forward, and UnidosUS are a collaborative of nine leading national racial equity anchor organizations (the Anchors) supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Together, we work to promote racial equity, advance racial healing, and ensure that all children, families, and communities have opportunities to reach their full potential.