Protecting Voters

Rooted in the movement that secured the right to vote for women, the League has worked to foster civic engagement and enhance access to the vote since our organization was founded in 1920. Over time our work has evolved from efforts to gain and foster women’s suffrage to ensuring that all eligible voters – particularly those from traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities, including first-time voters, non-college youth, new citizens, minorities and low-income Americans – have the opportunity and the information they need to exercise their right to vote.

The League’s mission – Making Democracy Work^® – includes ensuring a free, fair and accessible electoral system for all eligible voters. Through our national Public Advocacy for Voter Protection Project (PAVP) and dozens of state-based volunteer activist teams, the League works year-round to combat voter suppression through advocacy, grassroots organizing, legal action and public education. Our efforts have resulted in the protection of voting rights and ballot access for millions of Americans. Our work to protect voters falls into the categories below:

Voting Rights – We seek to protect and expand voting rights through advocating for proactive reforms such as expanded early voting and online voter registration, ensuring existing pro-voter laws are being followed and challenging all efforts that limit the ability of voters’ to exercise this basic right. The League actively opposes voter photo ID laws, advocates against barriers to the voter registration process, works to prevent last-minute Election Day barriers and helps millions of voters get the information and any required documentation they need to vote. 

Improving Elections –We work to modernize our voting systems, streamline the voting process, promote transparent and accountable redistricting and make it easier for all eligible citizens to become active participants in our electoral process. In efforts to improve the voting experience, the League focuses on efforts to establish permanent and portable statewide voter registration, expand early voting, improve polling place management, expand online voter registration and implement electronic streamlining. We also work to ensure compliance with laws like the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

DC Voting Rights – We advocate for the rights of citizens of the District of Columbia to be afforded the same rights of self-government and full voting representation in Congress as are all other citizens of the United States.