Gluesenkamp Perez, Bipartisan Colleagues Introduce Election Reform and Integrity Legislation

Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), along with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), and Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), introduced the bipartisan Let America Vote Act of 2024.

The legislation addresses two key principles in the continued fight for election reform and integrity: 

• The right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any taxpayer-funded election for public office shall not be denied or abridged on the grounds of political party affiliation or lack thereof.
  • Requires States to permit access to unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections for Federal Office.
  • Withholds Federal Funds if a State does not permit access to unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections for State and Local Office.
  • Provides additional Federal Funds for States to transition to access to primary elections for unaffiliated voters.
  • Protects the information and independence of unaffiliated voters by restricting the use of their voter data.

• No person who is not a citizen shall be permitted or granted the right to vote in any taxpayer-funded election for public office held by or in the United States or any State.
  • Prohibits States from permitting non-citizens to vote in elections for Federal office.
  • Withholds Federal funds if a State permits non-citizens to vote in elections for State and local office.

“In Southwest Washington, we value our independence, know that our beliefs don’t always fit neatly into one box, and recognize there’s not a national political party that cares about our community like we do. Good ideas come from both sides of the aisle, so Americans shouldn’t be denied the right to vote for the candidate of their choosing because they aren’t affiliated with a political party,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Additionally, a healthy democracy depends on free, fair, and secure elections. We need to uphold the constitutional ideal that decisions made for our country are made by citizens of our country – and this bipartisan legislation will protect the integrity of Americans’ choices at the ballot box.”

“There is no institution more fundamental to our democracy than our elections, which is why since entering Congress, I have been steadfast in my mission to restore Americans’ trust in our electoral process. Today, we take a bold and decisive step forward in advancing this effort with the introduction of my bipartisan Let America Vote Act of 2024. It’s simple: every citizen deserves to have their voice heard, and only American citizens should have the right and responsibility to exercise their vote,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “This commonsense reform is not political or controversial. It ensures every US citizen, regardless of political affiliation, has the unequivocal right to vote while reinforcing election integrity by strictly prohibiting non-citizens from participating in tax-payer funded elections. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues as they join me in this essential initiative to fight for all American voices and restore faith in our elections, and implore every legislator in America, whether Federal, State, or Local level, to also stand firmly with us.”

“Participating in our democracy is a central right of citizens, and voters unaffiliated with any political party deserve to have their voices heard throughout the entire political process,” said Rep. Golden. “This year, Maine opened our primaries to unenrolled voters for the first time. The Let America Vote Act will bring this victory for democracy to the entire country. Across the world, the awesome and exclusive rights of citizens are intrinsically linked to equally awesome and exclusive responsibilities. You cannot have one without the other. So, this bill also affirms that no matter where you live in our country, the right to vote in the United States is a right reserved for citizens alone.”

“The right to vote is reserved solely for American citizens,” said Rep. Garbarino. “I am pleased to co-lead this legislation to codify this commonsense principle and safeguard our elections from unconstitutional non-citizen voting.”

“The opportunity to vote is a sacred right of all American citizens. Regrettably, Independent Americans, who by many measures make up more than 40% of the population, are disenfranchised in many state primaries. This is especially true today due to gerrymandering of safe electoral districts by self-interested politicians. This bill ensures these tens of millions of Americans are able to vote in primaries and brings more competition to our elections,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “This is great for democracy irrespective of one’s political party. With Honor Action fully endorses it and applauds Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus and former FBI agent, and Rep. Jared Golden, a U.S. Marine veteran and former Co-Chair of the For Country Caucus, for leading this Act. Let’s get it passed.”

“It’s indefensible that millions of independent and unaffiliated voters can’t vote in party primaries, often the only elections that really matter,” said Ryan Clancy, Chief Strategist of No Labels. “The Let America Vote Act can bring more people into the process, reducing the influence of extremists and forcing candidates to appeal to the commonsense majority”

“The Let America Vote Act would bring the single greatest expansion of voting rights in our country in over a half-century, since the voting age was lowered in 1971. Political independents now comprise 51% of the electorate – including a majority of veterans who have defended our freedoms; yet 24 million of these unaffiliated Americans have been denied the right to vote in taxpayer-funded primaries in close to two dozen states this year alone,” said Nick Troiano, Executive Director of Unite America. “By opening our primaries nationwide, this Act would end taxation without representation once and for all, and ensure every voter, regardless of party, can fully exercise their right to vote.”

Full text of the bill is available here.