“I favor universal, automatic voter registration for all citizens, carried out by the government. [...] [T]he right to vote is a right of the citizens. All of these obstacles to registration are obstacles created to make it difficult to exercise that right.”
Our Quote of the Week marks the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which President Lyndon Johnson signed into law on August 6, 1965.
Sargent Shriver’s 1970 Address at the Polish American Congress Convention is both specific in its inclusion of references to Polish culture, and universal in its declaration of the importance of citizens’ right to vote. In the speech, Shriver outlines what he sees as the reasons for disillusionment during this era: the exorbitant expense of the war in Vietnam (“5 billion dollars a state. For every state in the country, we have spent 5 billion dollars in Vietnam. A total of over 200 billion dollars”); the drastic cutbacks that had been made to the War on Poverty programs, which put the poorest Americans at risk; the lack of leadership in government; and ongoing political polarization. He expresses a sentiment that continues to resonate today:
“I want to feel that we’re moving. Moving toward liberty and democracy and in progressive ways. I can’t stand the apathy that I’ve noticed [...] I can’t stand the officials who go around giving speeches calling their fellow Americans ugly names, spreading divisiveness, and rage.”
Shriver’s solution to the apathy and divisiveness of the era includes, among other things:
- mandatory national service
- jobs for young people
- the protection of voting rights
This last point is an important one for Shriver. He brings up the example of France, where he had lived during his tenure as US Ambassador to that country. He points out that elections are held on Sunday in France and in other Western European countries, making it easier for more citizens to vote—and where the percentage of citizens who vote is drastically higher than that of the United States. In this context, he emphasizes that the government should enact automatic voter registration.
According to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, at least 19 states have introduced voter suppression laws since the 2020 election alone, “with over 400 similar bills introduced in 49 states.” These attacks on voting rights come after major blows to voting rights protections over the years, particularly the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County vs. Holder, which essentially removed the requirement for states with a history of discrimination to have to pre-clear changes to voting laws. Today, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act aim to restore some of the protections removed by the Shelby County decision; but these bills are stalled in the US Senate after having passed the House in 2021.
Sargent Shriver believed that all people must have the freedom to live up to their full potential. Being able to exercise our right to vote is a core part of that freedom. We believe that staying informed about state and federal efforts to restrict voting rights is in all of our interest, and speaking up when we see unjust efforts to restrict voting is all of our responsibility.
Looking to stay informed about voting rights issues, state by state? Take a look at:
- the Center for American Progress’ resources on voting rights
- The Brennan Center’s voting rights section
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