so during a virtual author program hosted by townhall seattle david dailey reported on efforts around the country to expand voting rights. here's a portion of that discussion. >> you see this happening all over the country. i watched it in maine, home to the rich tradition of independent candidates were citizens demanded a voting system that allowed them for their choices that most people opposed with both parties there stood in the way determined the long petition drives, not once but twice and one. these people did not wait for the supreme court, the did not wait for superhero presidential candidate. they stood up, they acted they became the protectors of democracy that i think we all imagined the courts to be that we want our representatives to be. some of these victories have been pushed back on legislators since have not embraced the mall they fought them, i think it is important to remember two steps forward go to a half step back of the history of voting rights in this country it's the retraction it's never been a straight line and even in the current chapter it's the latest in