The League of Women Voters of Colorado (LWVCO) will hold a rally with community       partners on the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 6 at 12 p.m. The event, “Rally      To Save Our Democracy,” commemorates the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection and affirms the organization’s mission to empower voters and defend democracy.

 

LWVCO will be joined by valued partners in this mission. Speakers include Salvadore Hernández, Colorado State Director of Mi Familia Vota; Cameron Hill, Associate Director of Colorado Common Cause; Rosemary Lytle, State Director (CO/MT/WY) of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and New Era Colorado.

 

“This is a time to remember that while our democracy has survived almost 250 years, it is also fragile, and without constant vigilance, it could slip away,” Karen Sheek, LWVCO Board President, said. “Our representatives are accountable for ensuring that such an event does not occur in the future, but we are  also accountable for sending that message to them and then following up to ensure that it is heard and acted upon. Get involved; do your part!”

 

The insurrection showed the extent to which its participants believed that the integrity of the 2020 presidential election had been compromised – claims that have been officially refuted by multiple courts and intelligence reports. However, disinformation campaigns about election security have persisted, actively weakening the fabric of U.S. democracy. Two pieces of pending legislation would make an even greater difference in how elections are already securely and accurately administered.

 

“This is a time to remember that while our democracy has survived almost 250 years, it is also fragile, and without constant vigilance, it could slip away.”
Karen Sheek, LWVCO

 

The Freedom To Vote Act would uphold voting rights for all as well as protect electoral processes by addressing voter suppression, partisan sabotage, gerrymandering and campaign finance. Despite its introduction on September 14, the bill has yet to proceed to debate. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would fully reinstate the 1965 Voting Rights Act after it was gutted by Shelby v Holder in 2013. LWVCO hopes the timing of this rally will bring visibility and urgency to these causes.

 

At the national level, the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWV) has joined 56 organizations across the country to cosign an open letter to members of Congress. These entities agree about the need to protect not only the electoral system but also election officials from subversion.

 

 

LWVCO was founded in 1920 to be a nonpartisan organization that advocates for issues and legislation at the state level without endorsing candidates or parties. Today, Colorado has 19 local Leagues in cities  and regions across the state. During the 2021 session, LWVCO supported or opposed more than 90 bills, nearly all of which were signed or defeated in alignment with League testimony. Since July, local Leagues have provided more than 100 educational events, including candidate forums, ballot issues, civics education and civil discourse presentations.

 

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