The Leadership Conference Statement on 2022 Midterm Elections
Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement on the midterm election results.
“The election results to determine control of Congress are too close to call and that means every vote must be counted,” Wiley said. “Whatever the outcome, there is good news for democracy and the civil rights we seek to secure. Despite the deliberate barriers voters faced, from long lines to elimination of drop box locations to polling place closures, voters showed up to make their voices heard, support their communities, and defend our fundamental rights. For democracy to work for all of us, our voices and our votes must count. We expected it to take time to count our votes and verify the election results. That’s democracy at work. No matter what election deniers claim, we are witnessing democracy working as certified officials make sure every vote is counted accurately.
“Last night, millions of us, across communities, leveraged our collective power and rejected many attempts to divide us. We know a vast majority of people across America agree: We must protect our democracy, dismantle racist systems, empower working people, fight for fundamental rights and improve lives for everyone. That’s why we saw some significant pro-civil rights victories: Michigan and Connecticut adopted pro-voter measures. In California, Michigan, and Vermont, voters enshrined abortion rights in their state constitutions, and in Kentucky, an anti-abortion amendment was defeated. Alabama, Tennessee, and Vermont voted to protect incarcerated people from the slavery of prison labor. In Illinois, voters affirmed the right to organize in their state constitution. The list goes on.
“And Congress has important work left to do in the remainder of the year. From confirming judicial nominees and key nominations to the EEOC and the FCC, to protecting our elections, pregnant workers, and marriage equality, to supporting families through the child tax credit, the Senate can and should deliver this year, while we ensure that every vote is counted and that the process is fair, transparent, and lawful.”
