Judaism’s view of human society includes many values that are key to a democracy [1]. In accord with these Jewish values, the hallmark of a well-functioning democracy is the primacy of “We, the People”: an engaged electorate, with robust participation, and elected officials truly representative of home communities, from whom power flows. However, both history and current events are replete with policies and practices that water down the principle of “We, the People” by empowering the elite over the general populace.
To ensure our democracy is and remains well-functioning, policies, funding, and oversight are needed to maximize voting, secure the integrity of elections systems, and ensure that our elected government reflects the diversity and voices of our communities — especially for historically disfranchised populations.
JCRC supports policies that:
- Identify and remove barriers to and increase voter registration and voter turnout.
- Ensure the security and sustainability of our election system infrastructure.
- Implement election processes that actualize the “will of the voters” through equitable allocation of power in accord with voter choice and fair representation.
- Expose, reduce, and/or eliminate discrimination in and corruption of our democratic system.
- Increase transparency in campaigns and government operations.
- Preserve and restore democratic norms, including freedom of the press and active civic engagement that have served to educate and empower the public to hold both candidates and the government accountable.
[1] Rabbi David Saperstein, Judaism as a Source of Democratic Thought, (Sh’ma Institute, 2002)
