Statement: Advancing Voting Rights Mean We Must Keep Firearms Out of Polling Places

January 11, 2022

Washington, D.C. -- Guns Down America Executive Director Igor Volsky released the following statement about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveling to Georgia to campaign for voting rights.

“While we applaud President Biden for endorsing a filibuster carveout for voting rights, we also know that all Americans – particularly Black and brown Americans – cannot fully and safely exercise the franchise and participate in the political process unless we also confront the rising wave of threats, armed violence, and intimidation that is sweeping our nation. That’s why the President has an obligation to ensure that we can also pass legislation that keeps firearms out of polling places and requires all individuals looking to purchase a firearm to undergo a background check.”

Background: H.R. 4722, the Vote Without Fear Act, would halt dangerous voter intimidation practices by prohibiting the possession of a firearm within 100 yards of a federal election site, defined as a polling place or a ballot counting location.