For decades, extremists have prioritized limiting access to the ballot box, drawing districts that benefit their candidates, and rigging the rules of our elections to benefit their side.

2021 has brought these attacks to new levels that demand an in-kind response. After a successful Georgia runoff and an insurrection at the Capitol, these extremists have used voter suppression as a rallying cry — they aren’t trying to hide it anymore. Their vision for America is a country where fewer Americans vote and those who do vote are older, whiter, and support authoritarian government.

We can’t let this moment go unanswered. If we want any hope of fighting back, we must invest in candidates that will champion voting rights where these battles are being waged — in state houses, municipal elections and elections offices across the country. Open Democracy PAC was created to support and elect state lawmakers and election administrators who will work to eliminate registration as a barrier to vote through automatic voter registration (AVR), make voting accessible through well-resourced election administration, and eliminate rules disenfranchising voters because of race.

We must support candidates at every level of the ballot who are willing to stand up for Americans’ access to fair, secure, and accessible elections.