On August 6, 1965, the signing of the Voting Rights Act marked a crucial turning point in American democracy. Spearheaded by the courage of Selma activists—the same movement that overcame literacy tests, poll taxes, and violent oppression—it banned racial discrimination in voting and empowered the federal government to ensure access for all. 

The results were immediate: in the first year alone, 250,000 Black Americans were newly registered, and by 1967, the majority were voting in nine Southern states. This was democracy in action and in motion.

Today, as America commemorates the 60th anniversary of this Act, voting rights are facing an unprecedented attack. Weapons of disenfranchisement like gerrymandering, voter roll purges, and strict ID laws are testing its resilience, and disinformation is making voters question the very system of democracy that the right to vote upholds.

One powerful tool to push back against these assaults? Universal Vote at Home: automatically delivering ballots to all active registered voters. In a time when we work and shop from home, voting at home means greater ballot access and voter convenience without sacrificing security. 

A wide range of research shows that when you center the voter by delivering their ballot, a dramatic increase in turnout results, especially among groups that are historically disenfranchised. One example: New Jersey, which delivered a ballot to every voter in 2020 but reverted to a voting place-centered system in 2024. In 2020, 18-34 year old New Jersey voters led the country in turnout at 67% when their ballots were delivered to them; that turnout dropped in 2024 by more than a third to just 42%.

Universal Vote at Home isn’t a radical experiment. It’s the fulfillment of the Voting Rights Act’s promise: to ensure federal protections align with voter convenience. It stands as a fulfillment, not a departure, from the 1965 vision. But current Vote at Home regulations vary widely, and in some states, they penalize the very voters the Voting Rights Act was meant to protect via complex application requirements, a lack of opportunity to fix ballot errors, and other barriers. 

In 1965, America dismantled voting barriers with courage. Today, let’s honor that legacy. Not with new restrictions, but with systems that deliver the ballot to every mailbox and uphold the fundamental promise of democracy.