Freedom to Vote Act: What do Americans Think?
Falling asleep to more depressing news about voting rules, redistricting, and campaign finance reform? The folks over at RepresentUs have managed to make those topics and more a bit more…stimulating.
You may think that RepresentUs is getting the Freedom to Vote Act all right or all wrong. Either way, here’s where Americans stand on a few of the ideas in that bill.
Where Americans across the political spectrum agree
Make Election Day a federal holiday: 59% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats support. (Source: Pew Research Center)
Require all 50 states to offer early voting: 56% of Republicans, 68% of Independents, and 89% of Democrats support making early voting easier. (Source: Monmouth University)
Restoring voting rights to people after completing prison sentences: 78% of Democrats, 54% of Independents, and 62% of Republicans support restoring voting rights to people after completing prison sentences for felonies. (Source: YouGov/Huffington Post)
Ban partisan gerrymandering: 65% of Republicans, 69% of Independents, and 63% of Democrats say they would rather see Congressional district lines drawn with no partisan bias, even if it meant their preferred party wouldn’t win as many seats. (source: Campaign Legal Center)
Require voting machines to print a paper record of each ballot: 84% of Republicans and 87% of Democrats support. (Pew Research Center)
Provide matching funds for small donations to Congressional campaigns, funded by a surcharge on corporate fines and penalties: 58% of Republicans, 66% of Independents, and 73% of Democrats support a similar proposal that would provide matching funds through a fee on companies that do large contract work for the government. (Source: Program for Public Consultation)
…and where they don’t.
Allow voting by mail in all 50 states: 26% of Republicans, 40% of Independents, and 84% of Democrats support. (Source: Monmouth University)
Automatically register people to vote when they get a drivers license or state ID: 47% of Republicans and 76% of Democrats support. (source: AP NORC Center for Public Affairs Research)
Learn more about the Freedom to Vote Act here. Should Congress support or oppose it? Are there certain provisions you’d support but not others? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and let us know what you think!