Thursday, January 13, 2022

MAP Analysis: How the Freedom to Vote Act Would Improve Democracy in the States

As Congress and states across the nation prepare to battle on voting rights legislation, the Movement Advancement Project’s (MAP) new Democracy Maps initiative released analysis of how the national landscape—across 44 election laws and policies—would change if Congress passed the federal Freedom to Vote Act.

Currently, nearly 60% of Americans live in states with inadequate voting laws, according to the Democracy Maps. If the Freedom to Vote Act—a comprehensive federal bill that would create critical standards for voting rights in all states—passed, state voting policies would shift dramatically to 100% of Americans living in states with at least a medium Democracy Tally.

Today MAP released a new brief, How the Freedom to Vote Act Would Improve Democracy in the States, outlining some of the emerging threats to the independence and integrity of our democracy, and also shows the startling difference in access to voting and democracy by state.



It also emphasizes the impact the Freedom to Vote Act would have for voters nationwide, including: establishing national standards for automatic voter registration and same day voter registration, expanding voting locations and early voting, cutting wait times to vote in person, streamlining voter ID requirements, and protecting election independence and integrity. If Congress passes this legislation, every state would have either a High or Medium Democracy Tally rank.