Gillibrand: Stacey Abrams Would Have Won if Voters Hadn’t Been ‘Disenfranchised’

EXCERPT:

GILLIBRAND: “So for me, I actually introduced a bill today about getting rid of the Electoral College. One person, one vote. Don't we agree? That's step one. What we know from Stacey Abrams’ race, that voting rights are being threatened every day. The number one issue she has fought for — I believe she would have won but for disenfranchisement of voters. So we have a real risk right now around the country that there are state legislatures that are actively trying to make sure voters don’t get the right to vote. We need a platform of ideas about what to do to actually protect our right to vote. I have been working with John Lewis for the last several years on 10 ideas about how to do that, and I will just name a couple of them because they would make a difference. We should certainly have early voting in all states, period. Two, we should have paper ballots so that we actually — paper receipts for all ballots so we can actually do a recount if we needed to, given how much Russia wants to hack our elections and undermine our elections. Three, I would make sure Election Day is a day off. It should be a federal holiday for all workers, because otherwise you might not make it to the polls in time, there's long lines, or you might not have those hours free. I would allow for early voting, I would allow for vote by mail. I would allow for automatic voting registration when you turn 18. And I would allow for registering to vote online. Several states already have it. That is just a thumbnail sketch of some of the voting  reforms we should all be for and be really mindful of pushing because honestly there are Republican legislatures and governors across the country who do not want everyone to vote. We saw it clearly in action in Georgia.”