President Biden signs voting order

A new executive order signed by President Joe Biden instructs federal agencies to take a series of measures to promote access to voting.

The move comes at a time when Republicans in many states are pushing for stricter voting requirements, while Democrats say these measures amount to voter suppression.

“Election officials in 43 states have already submitted more than 250 bills to make it difficult for Americans to vote. We cannot allow them to succeed, ”said Biden, who signed the order at the celebration of the 56th Bloody Sunday, the 1965 incident in which about 600 civil rights activists were violently beaten by state soldiers as they tried to march for the right to vote in Selma, Alabama.

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Biden’s request includes several modest provisions. It directs federal agencies to expand access to voter registration and electoral information, asks agency heads to devise plans to give federal officials free time to vote or volunteer as non-party officials at the polls and promotes a review of Vote. local gov on the Internet network.

Congressional Democrats are trying to solidify support for House Resolution 1, which addresses virtually every aspect of the electoral process. He passed on Wednesday in a vote close to the party line, 220-210.

The voting rights bill includes provisions to restrict party gerrymandering in parliamentary districts, eliminate voting barriers and bring transparency to an obscure campaign financing system that allows wealthy donors to anonymously fund political causes.

It was designed to stifle what state legislatures led by Republicans, such as those in Florida and Georgia, are doing.

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Duval County Republican Party President Dean Black said that changes need to happen to improve electoral security in Florida.

“Because we have a lot of voters who don’t trust the electoral system now, and we need to have a system that we can show the country that works,” said Black.

State Senator Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, said that Republican movements at the state level are blatant supporters and aim to keep voters out of the polls.

“This is all political. This has nothing to do with problem solving. But it’s clearly about Ron DeSantis’ re-election because Democrats got people to vote in large, large numbers, ”said Taddeo.

Georgia Republicans have already made further progress in electoral reform. House Bill 531, which was passed in the lower legislative chamber by a 97-72 vote, would add requirements for absentee ballots and limit ballot boxes.

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Some civil rights groups are calling on Atlanta-based companies, such as Coca-Cola and Delta, to join the fight against legislation.