Be Like Ron Williams, and Testify to Save Democracy

Martin Luther King’s assassination, the civil rights movement and social justice advances have always been core motivations politically for Ron Williams of Goodyear, AZ, the editor of the Mule News. “I see these voting bills for what they are — suppression of Black, Brown and Indigenous voters and not about ‘election integrity,'” he says.

Not content to merely call or email state legislators, not content to just use the Request to Speak system, Ron personally appeared at the State House on January 26 in Phoenix to testify against two despicable voter suppression bills: HR 2237, which would outlaw same-day voter registration, and HR2238, which would ban ballot drop boxes.

It was an act of courage — an American citizen not being paid to speak, used his First Amendment right to speak up for Democracy in person. You too can testify! See below.

Williams, a Blog for Arizona writer, testified before the AZ House Government and Elections Committee:

“My name is Ron Williams. I live and am registered to vote in LD 13 from Goodyear, AZ.

“In 1968, when Martin Luther King was assassinated, I became a student activist for social justice. Prior to that event, the Voting Rights Acts of the ’60s had been passed. They were seminal in their impact to limit anti-Black, Jim Crow laws in local and national elections. Subsequently, the US Supreme Court would gut the Voting Rights Act and put our Constitutional guaranteed franchise at risk.

“That risk has been elevated here in Arizona. Under the cover of the “big lie” and with overwhelming proven success in Arizona’s elections, there are forces in Arizona — that despite their protestations to the contrary – are deliberately restricting the voting rights and access to ballots and elections in Arizona. Why? Because those forces are so fearful of losing power, they are willing to subvert our constitutional franchise to vote.

“These proposals are attempts by legislators, void of issues and in lock-step with national extremists, desperate to limit the vote of black, brown and indigenous Arizonans.”

You too can testify

It is straightforward to testify before a legislative committee. Instructions are online.

Start by creating a Request to Speak Account:

Go to https://apps.azleg.gov/Account/SignOn?ReturnUrl=%2f

1. Click “Create An Account;”
2. Input your information in the required fields;
3. Submit to create your account;
4. Save your sign-in information for future reference;
5. Verify your account in person at the Arizona State Capitol or state offices in Tucson.

Then, use the RTS system to search for the bill number. It will tell you the date, committee name and location in the Capitol that the bill will be heard in committee.

Once you’ve found the bill, click the blue Add Request button. The screen below will appear. Finally, where it says “Do you wish to speak” click Yes.

Confused? Simply review the online Using the Request to Speak Program.