House Democrats plan to prioritize voting rights if they win back the majority in the upcoming elections, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., told The Hill.
"We know that everything flows from the right to vote and having voter security, and what we have seen are attacks on that right to vote — undermining, through misinformation, Americans' belief in the integrity [of elections]," the Democrat whip said in an interview with the outlet. "We have fair and secure elections in this country. ... Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are still denying the 2020 election, which is outrageous."
Under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Democrats introduced comprehensive election reform as their first bill in the 116th and 117th Congresses. If they regain the majority, Clark confirmed that Democrats would pursue similar efforts.
Two key options include the For the People Act, which expands voting access and reforms campaign finance laws, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which restores provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.
The For the People Act has passed the House twice but stalled in the Senate. It would expand voter access, limit voter roll purges, and require presidential candidates to release tax returns.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would reinstate federal oversight for states with histories of voter discrimination, ensuring changes to election laws are pre-approved.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the likely speaker if Democrats win the House, has echoed Clark's commitment to voting rights. During a rally in New York's 4th Congressional District, Jeffries called for passing the John Lewis Act.
"No one can take away your voice, your power, your ability to determine your future," he said.
As both parties fight for control of the House and the White House, Democrats focus their campaign on "protecting democracy." Trump's claims of election fraud remain central to political discourse, with some Republicans, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., continuing to suggest illegal voting has taken place in some form.
Beyond voting rights, Democrats are also preparing to prioritize women's reproductive rights. Clark indicated that restoring protections for women's healthcare, including access to abortion, would be a close second on the legislative agenda. Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Democrats have vowed to take action on reproductive freedom.
Democrats need to win four additional seats to regain control of the House, a goal Clark is optimistic about.
"We are making plans for the future. We will be ready," she said. "But our priority is winning on Nov. 5."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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