Policy Explainer: The For the People Act

With rapidly moving federal and state voting legislation around the country, there are over 389 anti-voting bills currently sweeping the nation. We’ll be breaking information down with a series of explainers with everything you need to know and how to take action, starting with the For the People Act.

What’s the For the People Act and why does it matter?

The For the People Act (HR 1 in the House and S1 in the Senate) is a transformative legislative package that will meaningfully expand voting access, particularly for communities who have been historically disenfranchised by our voting systems. The bill passed in the House and we are on a path to getting this once-in-a-generation, pro-voting legislation signed into law. We need to make our voices heard to ensure it passes in the Senate.

The bill includes provisions to:

• protect and expand the right to vote
• reduce the influence of money in politics
• eliminate partisan and racial gerrymandering
• ensure a more accountable government

What you can do about it:

• Contact your senators and urge them to pass S. 1. (You can also contact your reps and urge them to support the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and DC Statehood.)

• Ask your company to speak out.

  • Sign Vote.org’s Business Statement on Anti-Voting Legislation.
  • Take Vote.org’s corporate contribution pledge to forgo funds to the campaigns of any lawmakers who vote to restrict voting access.
  • Call on Congress to pass federal legislation. Tell us about your advocacy efforts.

How you should talk about it:

We get a lot of questions about messaging, so we’re sharing some tips to help you craft your own statements, posts, and communications about voting legislation.

• Policies like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act are incredibly popular with the American public. Americans want our elections to be safe, accessible, and fair, so use language that speaks to these values. Emphasize how these policies will protect our freedom to vote, ensure every voter’s voice can be heard, and make sure our democracy works for all of us.
• There’s a lot of legislation being talked about right now. You don’t have to be an expert on every detail of every bill in order to show your support for federal legislation like the For the People Act. Focus on the pro-voter policies that matter to you most like early voting, vote by mail, online voter registration, same day voter registration, and more.

Additional Resources

• Vote.org's bill tracker is actively monitoring hundreds of anti-voting bills moving across at least 48 states.
• Vote.org’s Twitter, Instagram, and #VoteReady Social Press Kit contain shareable social media content, explainers, and inspiration.