On the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, DNC Chair Tom Perez and DNC Vice Chair for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation Karen Carter Peterson released the following statements reaffirming the Democratic Party’s commitment to protecting every American’s right to cast a ballot:

“For more than half a century, the Voting Rights Act has been a central pillar of our democracy,” said Tom Perez. “Generations of activists fought for the law's passage, endured centuries of bigotry, and some ultimately sacrificed their lives in the fight for equality at the ballot box.

“Today, those rights are under an all-out assault. Donald Trump and Republicans across the country are trying to deny millions of Americans access to the voting booth, especially in communities of color. From gerrymandering to voter roll purges to discriminatory voter ID laws, voter suppression tactics are a key  part of the Republican playbook and have been for decades. And in 2013, the conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act by striking the requirement for states with a history of discrimination to have changes to their voting laws 'pre-cleared' by the Justice Department — a disastrous decision that has spurred a wave of new voter suppression laws from Republicans in Congress and across the country.

“Democrats believe that our nation works best when more people can participate in our democracy, not fewer. That's why we're fighting every day to expand access to the right to vote, end discrimination, and restore critical protections of the Voting Rights Act.”

“Across the country, GOP-led state legislatures are using discriminatory voter roll purging practices and using morally bankrupt laws to suppress the rights of minority communities,” said Karen Carter Peterson. “Our voting infrastructure is at grave risk of foreign sabotage, and our president refuses to protect integrity of our democracy.

“Democrats won’t stand idly by while Republicans undermine the foundation of our democratic process. We’re taking action. In addition to expanding resources for voters and supporting campaign voter protection programs, we’re also focused on building a resilient party infrastructure to protect the right to vote every year, in every ZIP code.”