WHEREAS:
The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy and free and fair elections without undue influence from those with a vested outcome in election results are essential to protect that right and all others that flow from it; and
WHEREAS:
Ensuring that every eligible voter can make their voice heard at the ballot box, either by mail or in person is vital to the preservation of our democratic republic; and
WHEREAS:
Protecting and expanding the right to vote serves democracy and ensures elected officials are accountable and properly represent the will of the people. The voters should choose their leaders, not the other way around; and
WHEREAS:
The United States Constitution and Supreme Court law reserves the administration of elections—including the times, places, and manner of holding federal elections, voter registration, and the prevention of voter fraud to the States, subject only to Congress’s limited preemption power; and
WHEREAS:
Politicians and political parties, encouraged by the Trump Administration, have attacked and sought to restrict the right to vote in order to gain an unfair advantage in elections; and
WHEREAS:
The U.S. Supreme Court continues to undermine the Voting Rights Act of 1965, most recently Section 2 which ensures the equal right to vote without regard to race, including prohibitions on unfair racial gerrymandering; and
WHEREAS:
On March 25, 2025, President Trump issued an unlawful executive order requiring a passport or other citizenship proof to register to vote or cast an absentee ballot in a federal election, which was enjoined by a federal court order, and has announced the deployment of federal agents to oversee the 2026 federal elections; and
WHEREAS:
The Trump administration and other election deniers have advance the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent in order to undermine trust in elections and set the stage for a federal takeover of elections; and
WHEREAS:
The SAVE Act has passed the House and is under consideration in the Senate, and seeks to require individuals to provide documentary proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections, and, under the current House-passed version, would also require photo identification when voting; and
WHEREAS:
In Louisiana v. Callais, a 6-3 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court in April declared it unconstitutional to use race-conscious tools to rectify diluted minority voting power under the 14th Amendment, while clearing the path for purportedly race-neutral redistricting plans that further marginalize Black and Brown voting power, rendering Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act a “dead letter,” in Justice Elena Kagan’s words. Worse, the Court broke with longstanding precendent and allowed states to redraw congressional districts immediately before a pending election, boosting Republican prospects in the coming midterm elections. As a result, several states have rushed to impose new gerrymanders, eliminating Black-majority districts, for 2026 and 2028 elections; and
WHEREAS:
Existing law already makes it unlawful for non-citizens to vote in federal elections and available state voter-roll audits and studies conducted by organizations across the political spectrum indicate that attempts at voting by non-citizens are extremely rare; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME, in the many decades since the adoption of the Voting Rights Act has worked tirelessly to fight attacks on voter suppression in all its forms that make it harder for all Americans, and particularly Americans of color, older Americans, students and people with disabilities to vote.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME strongly opposes the racist and cynical U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais that guts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, opening the door for states to dilute Black and Brown voting power, while making it all but impossible to rectify such inequities. AFSCME further opposes the Court’s about-face that would pause implementation of rulings when they come shortly before an election, instead allowing states to gerrymander majority-Black districts out of existence; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will support local, state, and federal efforts to protect the right to vote for all citizens, including easy access to mail ballot voting, early voting, and ease of voter registration, and the passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will join with other unions and pro-democracy organizations to oppose the enactment by executive order or legislation any restrictions designed to suppress or restrict the right to vote; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME, when feasible, will challenge these attacks on voting rights in court; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will continue to work to educate its members about the importance of voting rights, the importance of opposing voter suppression attempts, and the importance of the collective power AFSCME members have to achieve meaningful change through promoting and protecting democracy and exercising the right to vote.
SUBMITTED BY:
International Executive Board