>>> THE FIRST THING, VOTE YOUR
BALLOT FRONT AND BACK.
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION GETS
ALL THE ATTENTION BUT IN FACT,
OFTEN TIMES YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE
A BUNCH OF LOCAL RACES.
TO VOTE, FILL IN THE OVAL AS
SHOWN IN THE PICTURE TO THE
RIGHT.
YOU CAN’T JUST DO A CHECK OR AN
X.
THAT WON’T COUNT.
THE FIRST PERSON TO VOTE FOR IS
MY FAVORITE CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
GENERALLY I DON’T SHARE MY
BALLOT.
IN THIS CASE, THOUGH, I THINK
YOU ALL KNOW I’M VOTING FOR JOE
BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS.
>> PRESIDENT OBAMA THIS WEEK
WALKED BIDEN SUPPORTERS THROUGH
FILLING OUT A BALLOT.
JUST LET THAT SINK IN.
IT’S NOT JUST SOME MEASURE.
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WE
MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO
VOTE, WHETHER IT’S HAVING TO
VOTE ON A TUESDAY, FILLING OUT A
BALLOT THAT IS COUNTERINTUITIVE.
AMERICANS FACE ISSUES WITH THEIR
BALLOT, SO MUCH SO WE NEEDED A
FORMER PRESIDENT TO EXPLAIN HOW
TO DO IT.
AS I SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO,
THERE ARE BETTER WAYS OF DOING
THIS, WAYS WHICH WE COULD MAKE
IT EASIER IN WHICH CITIZENS
COULD VOTE.
INSTEAD, WE’VE SEEN THINGS GET
MORE DIFFICULT, LONGER LINES,
CONFUSING PROCESSES AND CONCERNS
THAT EVEN WHEN YOU FINALLY DO
GET YOUR BALLOT AND DO VOTE, THE
BAUT
BALLOT MIGHT NOT GET COUNTED AND
MAKE IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE
IN TIME.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THIS
EASIER?
>> GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU,
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
I MEAN FOR THIS TO BE A
PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION, NICOLE,
BECAUSE I’M FRUSTRATED.
I THINK CAN YOU TELL.
IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE THIS WAY.
BUT ULTIMATELY SOMETHING ABOUT
WHAT YOU DO IN THE NEXT TEN DAYS
CAN HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW THIS
HAPPENS FOR THE REST OF AMERICAN
HISTORY.
WE CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE THIS.
WE CAN ACTUALLY BECOME THE
VOTING THAT MAKES VOTING EASIER,
NOT HARDER.
>> AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
FOR WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE
BEST REPORTING DURING THE
ELECTION THAT WE’VE SEEN.
WE HAVE MADE VOTING NARDEING HAR
COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS CONGRESS
CAN DO AFTER THE ELECTION IS TO
ALTER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IN A
WAY TO REALLY PULL BACK THE
GUTTING OF IT BY THE SUPREME
COURT.
THIS HAS ALLOWED THIS WAVE THE
VOTING SUPPRESSION LAWS AND
ALLOWED STATES IN A FORMER
CONFEDERACY LIKE TEXAS TO CLOSE
MORE POLLING PLACES THAN ANY
STATE IN THE COUNTRY, TO MAKE IT
MORE DIFFICULT FOR CITIES, FOR
AREAS WITH LARGE BLACK AND
LATINO POPULATIONS TO VOTE AND
MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR ALL
AMERICANS TO VOTE.
WE DO HAVE THE POWER.
THIS ELECTION IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ELECTION IN MY LIFE
TIME FOR CERTAIN, FOR MANY
REASONSONE
REASONS.
ONE OF THEM IS LWHETHER WE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND
DEMOCRACY OR CONTINUE TO TRY TO
SHRINK IT?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE
OTHER COUNTRIES I’VE TALKED
ABOUT IS FEDERAL ELECTIONS ARE
FEDERALLY RUN AND ADMINISTERED.
THINGS LIKE REGISTRATION,
IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS,
RULES ABOUT WHO CAN BE AT A
POLLING PLACE, THE NUMBER OF
POLLING PLACES, THEY ALL TEND TO
BE DETERMINED WITH A STANDARD
APPLIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS IN A
AMERICA.
TO WHAT DEGREE ARE WE REALLY 50
PRESIDENTIAL LEBSELECTIONS RATHE
THAN ONE?
>> IT EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE RULES FROM
ONE COUNTY TO THE NEXT.
MAYBE THIS MADE SENSE IN THE 1
18th CENTURY WHEN IT WAS FIRST
SET UP.
WE NEED TO COME OUT OF THE HORSE
AND BUGGY AGE WHEN IT COMES TO
ORGANIZING OUR ELECTIONS.
YOU’RE RIGHT, I’M NOT AWARE OF
ANY OTHER NATION THAT DOESN’T
HAVE A NATIONAL BODY THAT RUNS
THE ELECTION FOR THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY.
THERE’S A PROVISION IN THE
CONSTITUTION THAT SAYS THE TIME,
PLACE AND MANNER OF ELECTIONS IS
SET BY THE STATES, BUT WE CAN
SET NATIONAL STANDARD.
WE COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING STOPPING US
FROM MAKING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
ON ELECTION DAY.
I’VE OBSERVED ELECTIONS AROUND
THE WORLD, I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO
ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE THEY RUN
THE ELECTION ON A WORK DAY.
USUALLY IT’S ON A SUNDAY SO WE
COULD MOVE IT TO THE WEEKEND, WE
COULD MAKE IT A NATIONAL
HOLIDAY, WE COULD COMBINE IT
WITH VETERANS DAY BECAUSE AFTER
ALL, WHAT DID THE VETERANS FIGHT
FOR IF NOT OUR DEMOCRACY.
WE COULD MAKE VOTING
REGISTRATION EASIER.
THERE A LOT OF -- WE COULD
ABSOLUTELY AS NICOLE SAID, WE
COULD RESTORE THE VOTING RIGHTS
ACT IN MEMORY AND IN HONOR OF
THE GREAT JOHN LEWIS AND ALL THE
WORK HE DID.
THERE’S A LOT WE COULD DO AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL SO THAT EVEN
THOUGH THE ELECTIONS WOULD
CONTINUE TO BE ADMINISTERED AT
THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, WE
COULD SET NATIONAL STANDARDS
THAT WOULD MAKE IT MUCH EASIER
FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
>> NICOLE, YOU’VE STUDIED
CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT THIS IN A
WAY NONE OF US WILL EVER BE ABLE
TO UNDERSTAND DEMOCRACY AND YOU
WON A PULITZER PRIZE FOR IT,
WHICH IS AMAZING.
WHAT’S THE REAL ISSUE?
WHAT’S THE NUB HERE?
IS IT THE RULES AND THINGS WE
DISCUSSED AND THE LAWS OR IS IT
SOME OTHER HISTORIC FORM OF
DISCOURAGING VOTING AMONG SOME
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING
AFRICAN-AMERICANS BUT GENERALLY
SPEAKING, WHY ARE WE MAKING IT
HARDER?
WHAT’S THE BEST THING WE CAN DO
TO MAKE IT LESS HARD,
NOTWITHSTANDING THE ACTUAL
PHYSICAL CHANGES WE CAN MAKE TO
THE VOTING PROCESS, WHAT WILL
CAUSE MORE THAN 55% OF AMERICANS
TO VOTE IN THIS COUNTRY?
>> SO, YES, AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE
NOT FOUNDED AS A TRUE DEMOCRACY.
ONE CAN LOOK AT THE FACT THAT
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE ULTIMATELY
SELECTS THE PRESIDENT AND NOT
THE POPULAR VOTE.
SO WE HAVE ALWAYS IN THIS
COUNTRY WANTED TO HAVE THE SEN
EAR
-- VENEER OF A POPULAR
DEMOCRACY, WHILE AT THE SAME
TIME RESTRICTING WHO CAN VOTE,
WOMEN COULD NOT VOTE, BLACK
PEOPLE COULD NOT VOTE, NATIVE
CITIZENS WERE NOT CONSIDERED
CITIZENS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT VOTER
RESTRICTIONS TODAY, WE HEAR
PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THESE APPLY TO
ALL RACES EQUALLY SO THEY CAN’T HAVE A RACIAL INTENT.
HAVE A RACIAL INTENT.
WE HAVEN’T HAD EXPLICITLY RACIST
ELECTORAL LAWS INSINCE THE 15th
AMENDMENT.
THE SAME THING WITH LITERACY
TESTS AND POLL TAXES.
AND SO WE HAVE TO TRULY BELIEVE
THAT VOTING IS FOR ALL
AMERICANS, THAT WE DON’T SIMPLY
WANT TO CREATE THE VOTERS WHO
WILL VOTE THE WAY THAT WE WANT.
IT SEEMS THAT WHAT THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS DECIDED
THEY’RE GOING TO DO IS INSTEAD
OF EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE,
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MORE
PEOPLE WHO VOTE, THE LESS LIKELY
THEY ARE TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN,
THEY’RE TRYING TO RESTRICT WHO
HAS ACCESS TO THE VOTE.
SO WE AS AMERICANS HAVE TO
DEMAND A MORE FREE AND FAIR
SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS
NOT ANCIENT HISTORY.
MY GRANDMOTHER COULD NOT VOTE
UNTIL SHE FLED MISSISSIPPI TO
COME TO THE NORTH.
WE AREN’T TALKING ABOUT A
HISTORY THAT IS OLD.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT COURTS EVEN
NOW THAT ARE FINDING THAT
EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE ARE
BEING DONE WITH SURGICAL
PRECISION TO DECREASE THE BLACK
AND LATINO VOTE. WE COULD HAVE A HOLIDAY TO VOTE.
WE COULD HAVE A HOLIDAY TO VOTE.
Y -- WE COULD EXPAND MAIL-IN
BALLOTS.
IN OREGON THEY’VE HAD MAIL-IN
VOTES FOR YEARS.
THAT IS BASED ON THAT WE WANT
MORE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY TO
VOTE AND THAT HISTORICALLY HAS
NOT BEEN THE CASE.
>> THAT’S WHY VOTING IN BIG
NUMBERS MIGHT SEND MESSAGES TO
PEOPLE WE ACTUALLY NEED THESE
CHANGES
CHANGES.
ELLEN, OF THESE CHANGES WE’RE
DISCUSSING, WHO MAKES THEM,
INITIATES THEM?
WHAT CAN I TELL VOTERS, IS IT
YOUR LEGISLATURE, IS IT
CONGRESS, IS IT THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES?
WHO SHOULD INITIATE THE BIG
CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO THE WAYS
IN WHICH WE VOTE AND THE GOALS
OF GETTING MORE PEOPLE OUT TO
VOTE AND MAKING IT EASIER TO
VOTE?
>> WELL, IT’S A COMBINATION OF
PEOPLE.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
RULES THAT ARE SET BY STATE
LEGISLATORS.
SO PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE FOCUS ON THE BIG
PICTURE ISSUES, THE RACES, THE
PRESIDENCY OBVIOUSLY IS WHAT A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ALSO ON
WHO YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE
BECAUSE THEY SET A LOT OF THESE
RULES.
IT IS STATE LEGISLATORS IN
FLORIDA, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO AFTER
THE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY
DECIDED THEY WANTED RETURNING
CITIZENS WHO HAD BEEN IN PRISON
TO BE RABLEABLE TO HAVE THE RIGH
VOTE, THE LEGISLATOR OVERTURNED
THE WILL OF THE POP BY IMPOSING
REQUIREMENTS THEY PAY OFF FEES
THAT THEY COULDN’T EVEN TELL
PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY OWED.
SO IT AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL
BUT ALSO IT ARE BILLS IN
CONGRESS THAT WOULD EXPAND
RIGHTS TO VOTE THAT WOULD
IMPROVE A LOT OF THESE MEASURES
THAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT,
ONE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY ON
ELECTION DAY.
THAT WOULD BE A NATIONAL LAW.
SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT YOUR
NATIONAL LEGISLATORS AND ONE
THING THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT
LESS INFLUENCE OVER, ALTHOUGH IN
SOME PLACES FOR STATE COURT,
PEOPLE DO VOTE FOR STATE
JUDGES LOOK AT THE RECORDS OF
YOUR STATE JUDGES ALSO IF YOU’RE
IN A POSITION TO VOTE FOR THEM
BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF
PROVISIONS THAT ONE ENACTED,
THEY GET CHALLENGED IN THE COURT
AND YOU NEED TO HAVE JUDGES WHO
ARE COMMITTED TO FREE AND FAIR
AND ACCESSIBLE VOTING FOR EVERY
SINGLE CITIZEN.
WE’VE SEEN SOME BAD COURT
DECISIONS WHERE COURTS STRIKE
DOWN RULES OR REIMPOSE RULES
THAT END UP DISENFRANCHISING
PEOPLE.
>> MUCH WORK TOING BE DONE.
CREDIT TO SOME COMPANIES IN
AMERICA THAT ARE WORKING HARD TO
MAKE SURE THEIR EMPLOYEES
UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON AND
ARE OFFERING TIME OFF TO VOTE.
IT’S EVERYBODY’S WORK.
THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU.
ELLEN WEINTRAUB IS A
COMMISSIONER OF THE ELECTION
COMMISSION.
NICOLE HANNA JONES IS A PULITZER