Bringing an Oregon law to D.C.

Donald Trump's contempt for our democracy is clear – from undermining the media to leveraging the presidency for his profit to his increasingly-alarming coziness with dictators and tyrants.

It's no surprise, then, that his administration has eagerly supported the ongoing right wing effort to stop more Americans from voting through polling place closures, restricted voting hours and byzantine voter ID laws.

When Americans can't get to the ballot box, special interests and their Republican apologists win. Working families lose.

If we're truly going to take back our country, we need to make sure every single eligible American can make their voice heard.

The fix? Oregon-style vote-by-mail would leave a clear paper trail for every single ballot. There would be no long lines or suspect poll books on Election Day. Earlier this year, Rep. Earl Blumenauer and I reintroduced a bill that would require every state to provide registered voters an option to vote by mail. And I'm excited to report that parts of our bill are included in the good government legislation currently making its way through Congress.

No one should have to take off time from work and wait in a long line at a polling station in order to exercise the constitutional right to vote.

Voting is the backbone of our democracy and we must defend it with all we've got, and the first step is making it easier for all Americans to vote.

Ron