Demand President Obama Make the 2016 General Election a One-Time Federal Holiday!

As you know, our democracy is in crisis. Fewer than 40% of Americans voted in our last midterm election, and our overall turnout rarely breaks 60%. That puts us at 138th out of 172 countries in voter turnout. This is unacceptable for a country founded on the bold idea of a democracy for and by the people.

Instead of taking actions to make voting more accessible, some in positions of power are implementing more and more voter suppression tactics, much of which resulted from the Supreme Court’s gutting of the historic Voting Rights Act. Since that decision, nearly every state has introduced a discriminatory voter photo ID bill or cut back on early voting, same day registration and other reforms.

This is all on top of our problematic voting infrastructure that leaves
poor communities and communities of color stuck in prohibitively long lines at polls during every national election.

I am not willing to stand-by and let this be the America I live in.

That is why I am calling on you to restore democracy and make the 2016
Election Day a one-time federal holiday - and thereby give all states and businesses permission to follow your lead.

This will be a concrete step towards increasing access to voting by giving
busy families more time to vote while decreasing lines at the peak times before and after work. And this executive action will help shine a well-needed spotlight on poor turnout and voting access in this country. It would be a step in the right direction toward making the polling place more - not less - accessible.

I urge you to lead on this issue and help us take this important step
towards reclaiming the democracy we deserve.

Prioritize democracy above all else for just one day.

Thank you.