The battle over H.R. 1, the “For the People Act” — and more accurately described by National Review as “a partisan assault on American Democracy” — is scheduled to begin Senate consideration with hearings tomorrow before the Rules Committee. Your spider sense should be tingling. Jason Snead, an expert on election reform and the executive director of Honest Elections Project, has drafted an important memo (sent to members of Congress and state legislatures) explaining how H.R. 1 blatantly disregards the strong-majority positions American have voiced for serious election reform, especially desire for greater protections against voter fraud. The memo, a worthwhile primer on this vital debate, merits the attention of all conservatives and all voters. Read the full memo HERE, and the intro below:
American democracy is suffering from a credibility crisis. The 2020 election was marred by confusion, haphazard changes to voting laws, and a progressive legal blitz that used courts to undemocratically weaken voting safeguards and skew the rules for partisan advantage. Millions of voters harbor doubts about the legitimacy of future elections. Left to linger, that distrust may harden into apathy and disengagement, and drive public discord to alarming new heights.
The top priority of election reform must be to restore public trust in our electoral system, but the voices of regular voters are too often ignored or drowned out by activists advancing their own agendas. To rectify that, HEP and HEP Action launched a nationally representative survey of 1,200 voters. The results show that, overwhelmingly, voters want stronger safeguards and ballot protections. Liberal activists and politicians reflexively attack any policy they disagree with—voter ID laws and ballot trafficking bans, for instance—as “voter suppression,” and have created a misleading narrative that frames these policies as unpopular, unnecessary, and discriminatory. In reality, these are the very policies that most voters want, including moderates and liberals, low-income, and minority voters.
Congress is considering legislation to eliminate or weaken protections against voter fraud, but most voters want lawmakers to take the opposite approach. Large majorities rejected both particular provisions and the overall direction of H.R. 1, the “For the People Act.” Only 29% of voters know anything at all about this expansive legislative attempt to reshape American elections, but when they are informed, only 28% support its passage. If Congress passes the “For the People Act,” it will do so in spite of them.
This is a dose of reality for the political debate over H.R. 1 and the broader effort in states across the country to reform and improve elections. Voters want credible elections that balance access and security.