Voting Rights and Election Security

 

The bedrock of American democracy is our right to vote in fair and open elections. As Chair of the House Administration Committee, Zoe helps oversee U.S. federal elections to ensure every citizen’s vote is counted equally, and that our system of government remains the true representative democracy our founders intended.

Zoe is a member of the Congressional Task Force on Election Security, formed to address the lack of action to protect electoral infrastructure following Russia's interference and attempts to influence the 2016 Presidential election. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the election systems in 21 states were breached and voter records containing personal information were compromised. Despite this, there has been no action from the Republican Congress or the Trump Administration to provide greater protection to our election systems. 

When a sovereign nation meddles in our elections, it is an attack on our country. We cannot leave states to defend against the sophisticated cyber tactics of state actors on their own. 

In June, 2019, the U.S. House passed H.R. 2722, the Securing America's Federal Elections (SAFE) Act, legislation Zoe authored which would make meaningful investments to upgrade the security of voting systems across the country to guard against foreign interference in our democracy.

Following passage of the SAFE Act, Zoe delivered the Democratic Weekly Address to urge the Senate to pass this critical elections security legislation. ​

Democratic Weekly Address -- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren

 

A Message from Zoe on Citizens United 

I support campaign finance reform and believe that the Supreme Court ignored judicial precedent and common sense in the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission ruling.

I have added my name as a cosponsor to H. J. Res. 48, the “We the People Amendment”H. J. Res. 2, the “Democracy for All Amendment”; and H. J. Res. 57.

A bill is the starting point of the legislative process.

By adding my name as a cosponsor to these resolutions proposing constitutional amendments to mitigate the effects of the Citizens United decision I hope to move the conversation on campaign finance reform forward as Congress debates the best way address this issue.

H.R. 1, The For The People Act

As Chair of the House Administration Committee, Zoe was tapped to shepherd H.R. 1, The For the People Act, through the legislative process, culminating with its House passage in March. The Democrats’ landmark legislation is a sweeping package of pro-democracy and anticorruption reforms to put power back in the hands of the American people by ending the dominance of big money in politics; making it easier, not harder, to vote; and ensuring that politicians actually serve the public interest.

H.R. 1 offers the most transformational and comprehensive democracy reforms in more than four decades, following through on Democrats’ election promise to clean up the chaos and corruption in Washington. You can learn more about H.R. 1 HERE.

 

More on Voting Rights and Election Security

August 18, 2020 Page
The USPS is a pillar of our democracy, enshrined in the Constitution and essential for providing critical services: delivering prescriptions, Social Security checks, paychecks, tax returns and absentee ballots to millions of Americans, including in our most remote communities.
June 10, 2020 Page
Rep. Zoe Lofgren is leading the House in passing critical legislation to protect the security and integrity of our nation’s elections.
December 18, 2019 Press Release
"The $425 million included in this year’s spending package is a welcome second installment toward securing our nation’s election infrastructure, but more can and should be done."
October 10, 2019 Press Release
"The Trump campaign and White House have welcomed and repeatedly solicited foreign assistance for his political activities. This behavior is unacceptable."
June 28, 2019 Press Release

Washington, D.C.—On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that allows partisan gerrymandering in federal elections to continue, U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), and Julia Brownley (CA-26) were joined by the majority of the California Democratic Delegation in introducing legislation to reform the nation’s patchwork redistricting system.

June 24, 2019 In The News

A House panel on Friday backed legislation to improve election security ahead of next year’s contests as Democrats press for shoring up the nation’s voting system after Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

On a party-line vote of 6 to 3, the House Administration Committee endorsed the Securing America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act of 2019, whose provisions would include mandating paper ballots that could be verified, providing $600 million in grant money to update voting equipment and establishing cybersecurity requirements for elections.

March 8, 2019 Press Release
Today, after Zoe Lofgren managed floor debate for three days, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping reform bill to clean up corruption in Washington, make it easier to vote, and give every day Americans more power in our democracy by a 234 – 193 vote.
January 9, 2019 Press Release
The House Democratic Caucus today approved House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nomination of Zoe Lofgren to serve as Chair of the Committee on House Administration for the 116th Congress.
February 16, 2017 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Democratic lawmakers led by U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), and John P. Sarbanes (D-Md.) introduced legislation today to end partisan gerrymandering and reform the nation's patchwork redistricting system.

June 25, 2013 Press Release

Today Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and House Committee on Administration, released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The landmark law, renewed four times since enactment, most recently in 2006, protects voter's rights from intimidation or discrimination by requiring selected districts and states to gain federal preclearance before changing voting procedures or qualifications:

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