VP Kamala Harris praises Florida Black voting rights group on Juneteenth

As the country observes Juneteenth — the commemoration of African American freedom which became a federal holiday in 2021 — Vice President Kamala Harris is giving tribute to the Equal Ground Education Fund, a statewide nonpartisan organization designed to engage and protect the voting rights of Black Floridians.

“I commend Equal Ground Education Fund’s dedication to empowering Black voters and fostering civic engagement across Florida,” Harris wrote.

The organizers of Equal Ground say that they launched five years ago in response to the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature’s implementation of the constitutional amendment passed in 2018 designed to restore the voting rights of Floridians who completed their felony sentences.

That amendment’s reach was severely restricted in June 2019, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that prohibited those “returning citizens” from voting unless they paid certain legal financial obligations imposed by a court pursuant to a felony conviction, including court fees and restitution.

Jasmine Burney-Clark, founder of Equal Ground, was selected to become the Florida director for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign in April.

Black folks represent nearly 13% of Florida electorate, according to the latest records from the Florida Division of Elections, with 1,721,238 voters. Of those voters, 74% are Democrats, 23% are Republicans, and the remaining 3% are either nonparty-affiliated or registered with third parties

In her letter, the vice president writes that “extremists have attacked the sacred freedom to vote.”

“This not only harms voters in every state, but also disproportionately harms Black voters throughout Florida,” she wrote.

“Please know that President Biden and I stand with you in protecting this fundamental right. We will continue fighting to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act — federal legislation that would expand voter registration and voting access while fighting discrimination.”

While there has been increased media coverage of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump making inroads with Black voters who historically have favored Democrats in presidential elections, a Pew Research Center survey released last month shows that Black voters back President Joe Biden over Trump, 77%-18%.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.

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