"Donald Trump used his primetime speech to spread conspiracy theories and air grievances of his past losses. He presented no evidence of election interference, but he did show how fragile our democracy can be when authoritarians undermine the rule of law and attempt to discredit the legitimacy of our free and fair elections. His rhetoric is dangerous and the policies he is pushing would disenfranchise millions of people and create an unprecedented surveillance state. We cannot allow this administration to undemocratically grab power and silence the voice of voters.

Trump attacked the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, he threatened to purge voter rolls, and he pushed for strict voter ID laws that have shown to reduce election turnout, especially in Black and brown communities. These attacks are the same old talking points that have failed at the Supreme Court in Watson v RNC, failed via executive order when a federal judge struck down key elements of the EO, and failed in Congress who rightly will not pass the SAVE America Act. Congress must continue to stand firm, denounce these lies, and refuse to pass Trump’s election denier bill.

The Constitution gives States the responsibility of administering elections, and this right and duty must continue to be honored by Congress and the courts. As Chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Elections, I have worked hard to protect our election infrastructure and ensure that everyone with the right to vote has the ability to exercise it. The right to vote has been fought for over centuries, and we can’t stop fighting now."