Veterans for All Voters

VAV Tennessee State Leader Shannon Rasmussen: Closing TN's primaries “would exclude more than half — about 220,000 — of our state’s veterans from participating in primary elections.” 🔗 bit.ly/40IlaaI

VAV co-founder Todd Connor explains in his most recent op-ed that the problem isn’t voters. It’s the system. 🔗 chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/20…

It’s Primary Day in Illinois. Only 19% of voters turned out in 2024, yet these primaries often decide who wins in November. #Illinois #PrimaryDay

A pair of powerful OpEds were published in Illinois this week shedding light on the state's primaries (which are happening today!) The Editorial Board at @chicagotribune writes, "Here’s the thing about primary elections in the Land of Lincoln and, especially in the Democratic stronghold that is the city of Chicago: In race after race, they are not the appetizer course but the entire prix fixe...You can’t do anything about gerrymandering at Tuesday’s election. But guess what it makes it worse? When only a fraction of eligible voters decide all-important primaries." Read more: chicagotribune.com/2026/03/17/edi… Todd Connor of @OperationVAV writes in @Suntimes, "Democratic candidates in Illinois and their consultants invest staggering sums of money to target those reliable Democratic primary voters, knowing that whoever wins Tuesday in this “blue” state will easily win in November when the main election, in name only, takes place. Every candidate knows what the voters often miss: that the action is in March, not November." Read more: chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/20…

Alabama independents may soon be forced to choose a party just to vote. Veterans like Andrew Newby are speaking out. Read more: yahoo.com/news/articles/…

🔗 51st.news/dc-ranked-choi…

It’s #CivicLearningWeek: a time to strengthen civic knowledge and participation. In DC, VAV Leader @LisaDTRice has been the driving force of the grassroots movement for RCV, and leaders like Juli Lucky from @Alaskans4BE are sharing lessons from Alaska to help voters prepare.

Your next chapter of service starts here. Our country needs leaders rooted in courage, character, and commitment to something bigger than themselves. If that’s stirring in you, don’t ignore it. Learn more and apply: newpoliticsacademy.org/answering-the-…

#VAV CEO Alberto Ramos recently met with a delegation from Ukraine’s Central Election Commission through the @IFES1987 to discuss the vital role veterans can play in civic life once conflict ends. These conversations are more important than ever.

@HillVets 🤝 VAV We brought together over 100 members of both of our communities last week to talk about the state of our politics and the unique role veterans have in this moment. Thanks to everyone who joined us! #veteranleadership

The oath we swore wasn’t to a party, a person, or a platform. It was to the Constitution and an ideal, to a promise and a duty that defines who we are and what we strive to become. Renew your oath, and invite other veterans to stand with you: veteransforallvoters.org/oath/

We were proud to join @Unite_NY in Albany last week to advocate for common-sense election reform in New York State! Veterans are standing up to support more voices, more choices, and a stronger New York. #LobbyDay

When USMC veteran LJ Pocsi moved to PA, she was excited to vote. Then the primaries came. She found out she couldn’t cast a ballot because she’s a registered independent. Her story is one many veterans share. Read it here: veteransforallvoters.org/vav-news/let-v…

Still feeling inspired after the 2026 @Principles_1st Summit! Big thanks to our Washington, DC Veterans for All Voters crew and partners pushing for principled, solutions-focused leadership. More about the summit here: principlesfirst.us/summit/the-202…

VAV Founder Eric Bronner joined the Brave Blocks Podcast to talk about his Navy service, America’s “Primary Problem,” and how we can make our politics less toxic together. Listen here: amplifiedvoices.com/podcast/brave-…

We’re excited to partner with @HillVets for a happy hour in DC! Come meet members of the VAV and HillVets communities and make new connections across the veteran and military network. RSVP here: #calendar-44f44a85-9d23-457d-8d03-423dade5982d-event-eaa12388-c0dc-452c-a08d-4891aef5cc5e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">veteransforallvoters.org/upcoming-event…

Watch their full testimonies in support of HB 0496 on YouTube: youtu.be/v0-fjSsmgR8?si…

Our outstanding Veterans for #Maryland Voters team spent 5+ hours at the MD State Capitol last week supporting a bill that would open the state’s primary elections to 1M independent voters. Huge thanks to our #veteran members for stepping up and showing true leadership.

Veterans defended our Republic abroad. Now we’re fighting to strengthen it at home. Ready to fix what’s broken? Join the fight. veteransforallvoters.org

Our friends at @fairvote have made it easy to take action. Tell Congress to say NO to the MEGA Act: fairvoteaction.quorum.us/campaign/StopM… @RepresentWomen

The MEGA Act would strip states and voters of that federalist design — including by banning reforms like #rankedchoicevoting, even where communities have already adopted it — while piling on unfunded, overly bureaucratic mandates for local election officials.

#VAV CEO & DC volunteers were on Capitol Hill today for the House hearing on the MEGA Act. #Veterans understand the importance of service and protecting our freedoms. That includes our constitutional system of shaping elections locally, where democracy lives & grows.