ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER ADDRESSES VOTING RIGHTS

League is “Fiercely Committed” to Nation’s Voters, says Holder

Washington, DC (June 11, 2012) – Today, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke to the League of Women Voters national convention in Washington, DC.  His address praised the League for being “fiercely committed” to voting rights and working for decades to protect, engage and educate voters. 

Attorney General Holder also announced three critical areas where the nation’s public support is necessary to help protect voters and reform the election process:  fighting deceptive election practices and dishonest efforts to prevent certain voters from casting their ballots, supporting neutrality in redistricting, and modernizing voter registration systems.

In commenting on the remarks, national League president Elisabeth MacNamara said, “The Attorney General’s dedication to fully enforcing the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), as well as the Voting Rights Act (VRA), is just what we need right now.”  “There are places where we need to stop states from taking steps that are illegally purging voters from the voter registration rolls or creating unnecessary barriers to registering and voting,” she said.

In closing his remarks, Attorney General Holder urged League members to carry on their important mission:

“In advancing these efforts, the people in this room are part of an extraordinary legacy.  The arc of American history has always bent toward the expansion of the franchise.  This organization has served as a key component for this most noble – and uniquely American – endeavor.  But never forget – your vital work is not just historically relevant.  You are also a vital, contemporary part of what makes our nation truly exceptional.  I urge you – regardless of the opposition you face – to stay true, and remain fiercely committed, to the principles that have always guided the League of Women Voters and that can ensure that the 21st will be another ‘American century.’"

Contact: Kelly Ceballos, 202-263-1331