WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Dozens gathered at a local university earlier Monday to discuss voting rights and a way to protect them. Among the crowd were legislators who were hoping to make a difference in democracy.
The Freedom to Vote forum was hosted by Action Together NEPA and held at Wilkes University on Monday evening, focusing on the Freedom to Vote Act and the importance of voting.
The event drew top Pennsylvania lawmakers who spoke about voters' rights.
Community members and elected officials alike gathered at Wilkes University on President's Day to discuss the ins and outs of voting rights in Pennsylvania.
"Being here tonight at Wilkes on President's Day, able to bring together three champions of voting rights, all of whom have either introduced or been champions of voting rights here specifically in our area is what is most important for people to know and understand," Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, Executive Director of Action Together NEPA/In This Together NEPA.
A hot topic at the forum was passing the Freedom to Vote Act which this group believes is designed to protect individual voters and guarantee the right to vote.
"Democracy means people vote. People are the source of the power in the government," Congressman Matt Cartwright.
"Voting, and voting rights, and access to voting, and making sure that people vote is extremely important in every election but probably never more so than this year," said Shavertown resident Susan Heckman.
The discussion also focused on the importance of voting and the power that it gives everyone who's able.
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"This is our power, this is our responsibility, and yes that one vote counts," said State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski.
"Your voice does matter and your vote is your voice. And if you have an issue that you feel strongly about, the only way you can truly be heard is through your vote," Heckman added.
The location of the event was not a coincidence, hoping to spread the message to young minds at Wilkes University.
"We know how slim margins are at every level of government and in every race, so we want to make sure that students know whether they vote at college or they vote at home that their vote at the end of the day will indeed count," Hoffman-Mirilovich explained.
And college students who participated made sure to ask the tough questions.
"What are some of the most pressing democracy-related issues facing Luzerne County and northeastern Pennsylvania and how do you plan to address that?" a person said during public Q&A.
Elected officials who spoke at the forum say they will continue to fight for the Freedom to Vote Act to be passed as they believe it will protect and encourage voters.
During the meeting, a group of Pro Palestinian protesters interrupted while chanting in favor of Palestine calling on Representative Matt Cartwright to have lawmakers stop sending money overseas to Israel.
