Contact: David Beltran
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Democratic Secretaries of State Release Digital Ad Targeting Trump & GOP Voter Suppression Rooted in White Supremacy
DASS also launches new website and slate of Secretary of State candidates in battleground states
Today, the Association of Democratic Secretaries of State (DASS) released a digital ad, “Defeating White Supremacy,” targeting Donald Trump’s GOP voter suppression strategy and its roots in white supremacy. DASS also launched a new website highlighting a slate of candidates that, if elected in November, will create a Democratic majority among Secretaries of State.
“Voter suppression is rooted in white supremacy,” said DASS Chair and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. “Modern day voter suppression policies may no longer include poll taxes and literacy tests, but the disproportionate adverse impact of voter ID laws, purging of voter rolls, and felony disenfranchisement on communities of color is no coincidence.”
“Modern day voter suppression strategies are nothing less than the continuation of the same racist political suppression that has haunted our nation since its founding. Trump and Republican leaders continue to systematically erect barriers to the ballot for historically disenfranchised communities and they must be stopped now.”
“And in light of the public health risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unconscionable that Trump and Republicans are working adamantly to make it harder, not easier, for voters to vote safely. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Yet Trump and Republicans vehemently oppose the expansion of vote-by-mail and early voting opportunities in an attempt to maintain political power.”
“Democratic Secretaries of State honor the right to vote by increasing access to the ballot. Electing more Democratic Secretaries of State is critical to achieving a more inclusive democracy.”
In 2020, DASS will work to flip Secretary of State seats in Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia, and will defend seats in North Carolina and Vermont.
During the 2018 election cycle, DASS was key in electing Democratic Secretaries of State in Michigan, Arizona and Colorado, narrowing the Republican advantage. If DASS is again successful in at least three states in 2020, Democrats will regain a majority of Secretary of State offices.
DASS is a national organization supporting the election of Democratic Secretaries of State, who are committed to protecting and preserving voting rights and ballot access for all Americans through fair, honest, open, and accurate elections.
For more information about DASS, visit their website at www.demsofstate.org.
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