The Ongoing Impact of January 6th

Over the last three years, there has been a continued assault on our election systems, the American people, and our democracy. The events of January 6th sparked an unprecedented and dangerous increase in political violence, including attacks and threats to election workers across the country. And the extremism evident on that day also signaled unprecedented attacks on the freedom to vote that were still to come,  with the introduction of at least 325 restrictive voting bills in state legislatures across the country in 2023 alone. The continued spreading of false election conspiracy theories has led to the continued erosion of trust in our democratic institutions.

Without question, state and federal laws passed since that dreadful day have helped to ensure that in 2024 – and beyond – the voters will decide. The federal Electoral Count Reform Act (ECRA) and new state laws like Michigan’s Prop 2 have strengthened state and national guardrails for vote counting and certification.  And states from Arizona to Nevada to Wisconsin have made important gains in protecting voter access and imposing consequences for those who break the law in an effort to overturn the will of the people.

Nevertheless, now that our country is officially in a presidential election year, the first since the insurrection, it is vital that our leaders protect voter access, not take it away; speak the truth about our election systems and the people who run them, not spread lies and conspiracy theories; provide election workers with the funding they need to do their jobs efficiently and be protected from harassment, threats, and attacks; and that our judicial system continues to hold to account those who violate the law in an effort to overturn election results. A restored trust in our election systems is imperative to protecting the freedom to vote – and ensuring every vote counts in 2024 and beyond.