Idaho Democrats stand with Texans to defend democracy

By Lauren Necochea
Reader Contributor

Sixty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. It was a promise: no citizen would be denied the right to vote because of race or color. It dismantled generations of discrimination, intimidation and bureaucracy built to block people from the ballot box.

That progress was earned through marches, sit-ins, beatings, arrests and the courage of ordinary Americans who believed in the power of their voices. Today, that legacy is under threat. And, once again, Democrats are stepping up to defend it.

In Texas, Democratic lawmakers are risking their jobs, paychecks and freedom to stop a Republican power grab that undermines our democracy. Facing backlash for their unpopular, economy-crushing agenda, the Trump regime is demanding new congressional maps to guarantee five more GOP seats. They want to rig the outcome before a single vote is cast. It’s a move that would disgust our Founding Fathers. But Texas Republicans are scrambling to obey.

Texas Democrats took bold action, using the only tool left to them: denying Republicans a quorum. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott retaliated by trying to remove House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.

While Texas may be the latest battleground, the fight is here, too.

The Republican supermajority in our state has gone to great lengths to avoid being held accountable by voters. They banned student IDs as valid voter identification instead of working to better represent the next generation. They’ve tried to eliminate same-day registration and heavily restrict mail-in voting.

I remember one shameless bill Republicans brought during my time in the Legislature. You could vote by mail from a second home, but not if you were camping, attending a funeral or visiting family. These same Republicans even made it a crime to help a homebound neighbor return a sealed ballot. Bottom line: they will protect voting rights for the rich, while finding ways to take that right away from others.

Idaho House and Senate Democrats have opposed every anti-voter bill Republicans have brought forward and continue to fight for elections that are both secure and accessible. House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel introduced legislation for automatic voter registration at the DMV. It would reduce paperwork, modernize our system and make government more efficient. Republicans killed it.

Unlike in Texas, Idaho Democrats don’t have the numbers to deny quorum. We can’t shut down the process when democracy is on the line. That’s why we need voters to step in and elect leaders who will protect their fundamental right to vote.

The Voting Rights Act was a declaration of values. A belief that democracy can only survive when everyone can participate. On this anniversary, let’s honor that legacy by fighting for this vision.

Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.