CALL TO ACTION #967: Elections Have Consequences: Supreme Court Voting Rights Fail (July 17, 2020)
109 Days
Until the November 3rd Election
Our Recommendations for November
What Voting Blue means to us: We Steering Committee members are pragmatic progressives with no “purity or litmus tests” for our key issues. Rather, we will support the candidate that comes closest to our positions, which means that moderate Joe Biden is much preferred to fascist Donald Trump. And, electability matters; one can’t govern from the sidelines. Sometimes that means backing someone who looks less blue than their opponent, someone who is in a better position to be elected and actually help us. Finally, some candidates might want us to maintain our distance for political reasons specific to their constituencies. We respect that, so people we would otherwise recommend may be missing from this list.
**Let’s flip Oregon Congressional District 2 and make Oregon’s DC delegation 100% Blue!
President: Joe Biden
U.S. Senate: Jeff Merkley
**U.S. Congress CD2: Alex Spenser
Secretary of State: Shemia Fagan
State Treasurer: Tobias Read
State Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum
State House District 4: Mary Middleton
State House District 5: Pam Marsh
State House District 6: Alberto Enriquez
Jackson County Commissioner: Terrie Martin
Watch this space; more to come.
***Today’s Call To Action***
ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES:
SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS FAIL
No act is more fundamental to democracy than unencumbered voting rights. That the Roberts Court would strip it away, especially from poor and non-white citizens, is unconscionable.
During Roberts’ tenure as Chief Justice, these decisions have eroded voting rights:
- 2013: 5-4 requiring DOJ to “pre-clear” changes to election laws where documented histories of racial discrimination unconstitutional.
- 2018: 5-4 states can purge from voting rolls if a registered voter hadn’t voted for 2 years.
- 2019: 5-4 partisan gerrymandering, although distasteful, beyond courts’ reach.
- This term: despite coronavirus pandemic, Roberts’ Court won’t protect voting rights
- Wisconsin: 5-4 no extra time to submit absentee ballots
- Alabama: 5-4 won’t relax absentee ballot requirements
- Texas: 5-4 needn’t extend absentee voting to those under 65
- Florida: 6-3 permitted ex-felon disenfranchisement
Elections have consequences. Had Trump lost, the Supreme Court, voting 6-3, would have disallowed voter suppression and allowed alternatives to in-person voting. Had the Senate flipped, voting rights would have been protected. Had Dems won more state races in 2010, we’d have less voter suppression and political gerrymandering.
We must make the 2020 election count—by voting in the right people we can change the federal courts’ ideological makeups, get pro-voter legislation through Congress and the statehouses, and redraw legislative districts to ensure one-person-one-vote.
Get Out the BLUE Vote!
**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR U.S. SENATORS**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS MERKLEY and WYDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
I am calling because we cannot continue to allow election results to be predetermined by a web of gerrymanders and voter suppression laws passed by state lawmakers and upheld by the Supreme Court. The House has stepped up to combat voter suppression and expand access to the ballot box for all Americans, and Senators must join this fight, by insisting that McConnell bring the Voting Rights Expansion Act and the HEROES Act to the floor for a vote. Now more than ever, we need the Senator to keep messaging about the importance of this election for the future of our democracy.
SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/
SENATOR RON WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/
**ACTION TWO: CALL COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WALDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code].
Now more than ever, we need our elected representatives to recognize the importance of this election for the future of our democracy. Expanding access to the ballot box and combating voter suppression are important American values, no matter one’s political party. Tell Greg Walden I want him to fight for fundamental Constitutional rights, like access to the ballot box.
Where’s Walden? History is watching; Greg’s legacy is at stake.
Thank you.”
COMPLICIT GREG WALDENDC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me
**ACTION THREE: BE AN ACTIVIST**
July 17, 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ongoing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
#MyORHealth Support is available for Oregon’s “helpers”
Lines for Life has created a Virtual Wellness Room to offer support to helpers, mental health professionals, first responders, social workers and anyone considered an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon. Each check-in call will have a facilitator to guide the conversation.
“We at Lines for Life want to thank you for all the work you do to keep our communities safe,” the organization said. “We are offering a place for helpers to exchange stories of hope and areas of need. We especially want to hear what things are coming up for you personally and explore how we can cheer one another on to continue the good work you are already doing. We ultimately want to create space to breathe out stress and breathe in hope.”
The meetings are held using Zoom conference calls from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at this link: https://zoom.us/j/4848426773. Please share this invite with anyone in your network of Oregon helpers.
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Progressive Oregon Women Gender Bias Training with Dr. Carey Jean Sojka
July 19 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-progressive-oregon-women-gender-bias-training-with-dr-carey-jean-sojka/
Ongoing Action: ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Postcard and Letter Writing Parties
Postcards to Voters:
Our postcard team is temporarily suspending the delivery of postcards to your door. However, the good news is that you will find everything you need to continue writing from home (including templates to print your own or purchase pre-printed cards) here: https://postcardstovoters.org
You can sign up through https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/
To avoid unnecessary trips to the post office, order stamps directly from the USPS:
https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/coral-reefs-postcard-stamp-S_745104
…and voila, you’re ready to go! Send an e-mail to with any questions.
Letters to Voters
We encourage our team of volunteers to sign up with Swing Left to start writing letters to voters in 12 swing states. It is super easy to join. Check out their website, sign up, and let’s start writing! https://swingleft.org/
Send an e-mail to if you would like more information about how to get involved.
Virtual Letter-writing Parties
We encourage you to join virtual letter-writing parties hosted by Oregon Indivisible / Swing Left. The parties are held at noon every Saturday and on the last Tuesday of every month. Here are the links for the next two parties:
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/267146/
**Visit the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar on a regular basis to keep updated on local activities. Participate with us as often as you can. We also encourage you to submit events to be added to the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar and help us keep current with our event postings. https://ord2indivisible.org/submit-your-event/
SOURCES:
Supreme Court Allows Restrictions on Voting by Ex-Felons
The Supreme Court just handed down some truly awful news for voting rights
US Supreme Court Fails to Defend Voting Rights—Again
Why the Supreme Court made Wisconsin vote during the coronavirus crisis
Supreme Court Rules Partisan Gerrymandering Is Beyond The Reach Of Federal Courts
See No Evil: Sotomayor highlights the Robert Court’s blind eye to discrimination
