Many know Reddit as a vast network of communities, yet the heart of those communities depends largely on the votes of each individual redditor. Voting is central to how Reddit works, but more importantly, voting also remains a cherished cornerstone of our IRL democracy. This is why, for years, we’ve made nonpartisan voter registration and engagement a cornerstone issue that we’ve sought to elevate both on and off of Reddit. You might have seen these efforts in our “Up The Vote” campaign preceding the 2020 U.S. Election, through which we encouraged voters online and on the street to get out and vote. Or you might have seen it through our annual National Voter Registration Day efforts, connecting redditors with the information they need to register to vote.
The participation of voters in 2020 was staggering. Over 159 million Americans voted in the 2020 election, making it the highest recorded turnout in 120 years. Yet in 2021, we are faced with a serious challenge to voter participation. States across the country have either passed or are currently considering legislation that some experts anticipate could erode equal access to voting. You can catch up on the latest legislative developments at NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice. Their latest voting laws roundup gives context to the state of play at each state for March 2021.
To educate our community on the state of voter access in America we are announcing a special AMA series today. In the coming weeks, communities around Reddit will host AMAs with academics, non-profits, and legal experts to shine a light on what these laws actually do and the steps concerned citizens can take if they wish to weigh in with their elected officials.
Participants confirmed at the time of writing (with more to be added) include:
League of Women Voters
Friday, June 4th, at 9:00am PST in r/Politics
The League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League of Women Voters Education Fund works to register voters, provide voters with election information through voter guides as well as candidate forums and debates. The League is nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government.
Brennan Center For Justice
TBD
The Brennan Center for Justice is an independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization that works to reform, revitalize, and when necessary, defend our country’s systems of democracy and justice.
Professor Barry Burden
Tuesday, May 11th, at 11:00am PST in r/Politics
Barry C. Burden is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also Director of the Elections Research Center and is the Lyons Family Chair in Electoral Politics. His research and teaching are based in American politics, with an emphasis on electoral politics and representation. He is co-editor of The Measure of American Elections, author of Personal Roots of Representation, and co-author of Why Americans Split Their Tickets: Campaigns, Competition, and Divided Government.
Rachael Cobb, PHD
TBD
Rachael Cobb, PHD is Associate Professor & Chair, Political Science & Legal Studies at Suffolk University. Professor Cobb studies and teaches about U.S elections, election administration, civic engagement and political participation.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
TBD
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity
