SPLC Action Fund Urges Congress to Fully Fund Elections

WASHINGTON — This week, the SPLC Action Fund joined more than 50 voting and civil rights organizations to call on Congress to allocate $1.625 billion in federal funding for election administration as part of the FY25 appropriations process, and to fully fund state and local elections in subsequent years. Organizations signing on to a letter to leading Congressional appropriators include Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the League of Conservation Voters, Campaign Legal Center and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and many others.

“Elections are the heart of our democracy — and with the necessary federal funding, our state and local election administrators can ensure voting is safe, secure and accessible for all eligible voters,” said Laura Williamson, senior policy advisor for democracy and voting rights at the SPLC Action Fund.

“Today, our elections are facing unprecedented challenges — from decades-old, vulnerable infrastructure to increasing threats against non-partisan election workers — and the very act of voting is getting harder, especially for communities of color,” continued Williamson. “The scarcity of resources available to many rural areas and communities of color, particularly in the Deep South, has led election officials to make decisions that restrict voter access, such as closing or consolidating polling places. We’ve heard directly from election officials and workers that more funding is desperately needed to overcome these challenges.”

“Our diverse coalition — representing environmental, labor, faith, social justice, civil rights and disability rights communities — urges Congress to fulfill its duty to significantly fund election administration during this and future appropriations cycle. The stakes are too high for inaction,” concluded Williamson.