National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights

In the 2021 legislative sessions alone, more than 400 bills with expansive provisions to restrict voter access have been introduced in 49 states. Eighteen states have already enacted laws this year that will make it harder for Americans to vote, in the most aggressive wave of voter restrictions our nation has seen in decades. Civic leaders across the country are being moved to action to reverse this assault on voter rights. With federal efforts stalling due to obstruction in Congress, local officials are leading the way to protect access to the ballot box.

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot of Chicago are convening stakeholders including mayors, legislators, county clerks, election administrators and community leaders to take a seat at the table of history and develop a framework for implementing national strategies to protect, defend and promote voter rights and access to the ballot box. The National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights, taking place from Oct. 21-23, will convene these officials to set a national action plan to end gerrymandering, ensure safe access to the ballot, and prevent partisan efforts that diminish voter access, especially in communities of color.

National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights Program Schedule
Friday, October 22, 2021
9:00 a.m. (MDT) Opening General Session
9:30 a.m. A Special Message from Vice President Kamala Harris
9:35 a.m. Panel: Voter Experience: Leveraging the City Infrastructure

• Mayor Hardie Davis, Augusta, GA
• Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston, TX
• Amber McReynolds, Founding CEO, The National Vote at Home Institute; Member, USPS Board of Governors
• Tonya Rice, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elections Team

10:30 a.m. Break Out Session #1
11:30 a.m. Afternoon General Session
12:06 p.m. Video remarks by former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder
12:30 p.m. Panel: Legal Framing of the Issues

• Kristin Bronson, Denver City Attorney
• Texas State Rep. Ron Reynolds
• Ryan Haygood, New Jersey Institute of Social Justice

1:15 p.m. Break Out Session #2
3:00 p.m. Video remarks by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
3:08 p.m. Remarks by Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta), Co-chair, Congressional Voting Rights Caucus
3:05 p.m. Panel: Voter Suppression Now

• Moderator: Mayor Michael B. Hancock
• Carlotta LaNier, Civil Rights Leader, Youngest of the Little Rock Nine
• John C. Yang, AAJC (Asian Americans Advancing Justice)
• Dawn Howard, Community Engagement Coordinator, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
• Rob Richie, President, CEO, FairVote

4:15 p.m. Break Out Session #3
6:00 p.m. Evening General Session: The Private Sector Must Act
6:40 p.m. Video Keynote: Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Chairman & CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises
6:45 p.m. Conversation and Q&A with Jerika Richardson, Senior Vice President of Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives, National Urban League and Hikmet Ersek, Chairman & CEO, Western Union
7:30 p.m. Adjourn

Saturday, October 23, 2021
8:00 a.m. Closing Session
9:00 a.m. Break out session report outs
11:00 a.m. Next Steps: a facilitated discussion
12:30 p.m. (MDT) Adjourn

Supporters

• Mr. Earvin “Magic” Johnson
  NBA Legend, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
• Honorable Lori E. Lightfoot
  Mayor, Chicago, IL
• Honorable Sylvester Turner
  Mayor, Houston, TX and President, African American Mayors Association
• Honorable Nan Whaley
  Mayor, Dayton, OH and President, U.S. Conference of Mayors
• Honorable Tishaura Jones
  Mayor, St. Louis, MO
• Honorable Frank Scott
  Mayor, Little Rock, AR
• Honorable Eric Adams
  Democratic Nominee for Mayor, NYC, NY
• Honorable Greg Fischer
  Mayor, Louisville, KY
• Honorable Steve Adler
  Mayor, Austin, TX
• Honorable Steve Benjamin
  Mayor, Columbia, SC
• Honorable Steve Reed
  Mayor, Montgomery, AL
• Honorable Dr. Hardie Davis, Jr.
  Mayor, Augusta, GA
• Honorable Ron Reynolds
  State Representative, Texas
• Honorable Clarence E. Anthony
  CEO & Executive Director, National League of Cities
• Honorable Levar Stoney
  Mayor Richmond, VA
• Honorable Jennifer Bacon
  State Representative, Colorado
• Honorable Vince Williams
  Mayor, Union City, GA
• Honorable Marc H. Morial
  President and CEO of the National Urban League
• Honorable London Breed
  Mayor, San Francisco, CA
• Honorable Amber McReynolds
  USPS Board of Governors
• Honorable Wellington E. Webb
  Former Mayor of Denver, CO
• Honorable Wilma J. Webb
  Former Colorado State Representative
• Mr. Jim Reynolds
  CEO, Loop Capital, LLC
• The Democratic Mayors Association
• African American Mayors Association

In The News 

• 19 states passed this year laws to restrict voting, new tally finds - CNN
• DOJ is probing attacks on voting rights, says U.S. attorney general - Reuters
• The tally of new anti-voting laws reaches unsettling new heights - MSNBC
• There’s a Bipartisan Voting Rights Bill. Yes, Really - New York Times
• A timeline of new and old efforts to limit the political power of Black Americans and other voters of color - CNN
• Voting Laws Roundup: October 2021 - Brennan Center for Justice
• Senate Democrats are making a fresh push to strengthen the Voting Rights Act - NPR
• What Happens Next In The Fight For Voting Rights? Meet the Women Working to Protect a Crucial Right - Vogue
• A year later, Florida needs to revisit felon voting rights - The Michigan Daily (Column)
• Map: See Which States Have Restricted Voter Access, And Which States Have Expanded It - NPR
• N.C. Judges Strike Down A Voter ID Law They Say Discriminates Against Black Voters - NPR
• Black woman in rural Texas struggles with process to vote, advocates say system is unfair - ABC News
• Law professor tells Cruz Texas' voter ID law is racist in fiery hearing exchange - CNN