DEI Committee Explores Voter Access and Engagement

On Tuesday, October 11, WGR’s DEI Committee convened a panel of experts and those committed to voter access and engagement for an off-the-record conversation leading up to the November 8 midterm elections.

DEI Committee members were joined by: Danny Navarro (Nonprofit Vote); Selene Gomez (VoteRiders); and Julie Houk (Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights under Law). The conversation was moderated by DEI Committee member Chris Metzler (Niagara Health Policy Advisors). Ms. Metzler kicked-off the discussion with an overview of the history of women’s suffrage, noting that both historically and today, a woman’s race & ethnicity, geographic location, and socio-economic status all influence their ability to exercise their right to vote.

Ms. Houk then provided context surrounding key provisions of voting access legislation, noting that the right to vote is not specifically enshrined into the United States Constitution (The 14th & 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993) were all highlighted.

Mr. Novarro then emphasized the important and unique role that nonprofits play in engaging voters. Nonprofits can be pivotal in utilizing nonpartisan voter engagement activities, tapping into those segments of the population that have been traditionally excluded (e.g. recent naturalized citizens, people whose rights have been restored, and non-English speaking voters).

Ms. Gomez rounded out the panelists’ remarks by discussing the multitude of voter identification laws that have either already been passed and taken into effect, or those that are pending for 2023. Ms. Gomez also highlighted the disproportionate impact of voter identification laws on a national level, noting that, for example, that 11% of voting-aged citizens and 18% of people age 65+ do not have a current government-issued identification.

The panelists encouraged the DEI Committee members to reach out to them for additional information and resources, and committee members discussed ways that we can all help to keep our friends, families and communities engaged in the voting process. WGR’s DEI Committee encourages all members to exercise their right to vote, and to let their voices be heard!

We welcome all WGR members to join us each month at our DEI Committee meetings! Register here for the next meeting on November 15 from 11:30 AM–1 PM (ET). For more information on WGR’s DEI Committee, please reach out to dei.wgr@gmail.com.

This month’s blog is authored by DEI Committee Chairperson Gamble Hayden.