Charging ahead on Voting Rights in the Senate

Yesterday, our Voting Rights bill (HB 70) made it through the House to the Senate. 

Today, twenty KFTC members and allies were there in Frankfort to talk lobby senators, thank represenatives, and make our voices heard. 

It was a productive lobby day in which we met with 22 legislators, left personal notes and information for many dozens more, scheduled meetings with 13 more for days to come, and were generally a visible prescence in Frankfort. 

Teddi Smith Robillard, a former felon from Lexington, anchored our information table in the Capitol Annex and talked to dozens of people throughout the day about Voting Rights.  "I talked to legislators, magistrates, police officers, and even a sheriff – who all told me that they support what we're doing."

Others gathered in small teams to learn more about the issue, get trained, and go out to talk to legislators together.  We group brand new citizen lobbyists together with people who know the ropes so they can work together to get a lot done.  Several of our members were lobbying for the first time today. 

“I want to see more regular people up here in Frankfort like this more often.  Not just paid lobbyists,” reflected Carla Wallace, an ally from Louisville Showing Up For Racial Justice (LSURJ).

“This was my first time lobbying on this bill. I appreciate KFTC’s leadership on this. They put together a strategy that we can just come step into. And we had some great conversations with legislators,” said Carol Kraemer.

The big Voting Rights Lobby Day and Rally is still coming up on March 6th.  Please spread the word and we look forward to seeing many of you there.