ECU President Tiffany Muller released the following statement on Beto O’Rourke’s voting rights plan:

“Beto O’Rourke’s new reform plan is a testament to his commitment to restoring our democracy and putting power back into the hands of the people. Beto’s record on reform speaks for itself and he’s once again prioritizing it in his presidential campaign.

“His call to limit special interest money, increase voter participation, and restore faith in government is exactly the type of initiative we need from our next president. And by rejecting all PAC money in his campaign, Beto’s leading by example. End Citizens United thanks Beto O’Rourke for his continued leadership on reform, and we look forward to seeing how more presidential campaigns will make reform a national priority.”

O’Rourke’s plan to improve the state of our democracy is laid out in three parts: increasing voter registration by 50 million voters, removing barriers that stand in the way of making every Americans’ voice heard, and restoring confidence in our political system by electing politicians who work on behalf of the people and not special interests.

Below is a roundup of coverage on O’Rourke’s reform plan:

CNN: Beto O’Rourke calls for term and donation limits in new voting rights plan

“Beto O’Rourke is proposing term limits for Supreme Court justices and members of Congress and far-reaching new restrictions on donations from wealthy individuals and corporations as part of an overhaul of election laws that his presidential campaign unveiled Wednesday. The plan from the Democratic former congressman from Texas also seeks to dramatically increase voting access through steps that include automatic and same-day registration and expanded early voting — and turning Election Day into a national holiday.”

Politico: How Beto O’Rourke would address term limits for lawmakers, money in politics

“Beto O’Rourke on Wednesday called for a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on members of Congress and limiting the service of Supreme Court justices to a single 18-year term, part of a sweeping series of electoral and government reforms the Texas Democrat pledged to pursue if he is elected president. In addition to term limits, O’Rourke is pressing for laws to reduce the influence of corporate money in politics and to expand voter turnout, including making Election Day a national holiday. He is also proposing to make low-dollar campaign contributions tax deductible and to provide a match for contributions up to $500.”

Washington Post: Beto O’Rourke releases plan to increase voter participation

“The plan contains many ideas that have long been promoted by Democrats, including making Election Day a federal holiday, allowing automatic and same-day voter registration and cracking down on laws and practices that make it more difficult to vote. O’Rourke, a former congressman from El Paso, has made voting rights a focus of his campaign for president, and the plan provides a written version of many ideas he has already shared on the trail. In the plan, O’Rourke sets the goal of registering 50 million more people of any political party and having 35 million new voters cast ballots in 2024.”

The Texas Tribune: Beto O’Rourke’s proposed election reforms seek to simplify voting registration, get big money out of politics

“Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke on Wednesday morning released a broad campaign proposal that aims to make voting easier, reduce the influence of money in politics and raise ethical standards for elected officials. The plan, the fifth policy rollout of O’Rourke’s campaign, sets ambitious goals: increasing the number of registered voters in the United States by 50 million, pushing the turnout rate to a record-high 65% and driving 35 million new voters to the polls in 2024, the biggest increase ever in a presidential election. To get there, O’Rourke offers a three-prong approach centered on increasing voter participation, eliminating obstacles to voting and ‘rebuilding confidence in our democracy.’”

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