Patch. By Anthony Bellano

Two South Jersey congressmen have introduced legislation to protect a citizen's access to vote by prohibiting the interference of voter registration efforts. Reps. Donald Norcross (D-1) and Andy Kim (D-3) introduced the Alice Paul Voter Protection Act on Tuesday.

"Alice Paul was a leader in ensuring and protecting the right to vote. It's important we honor her legacy by continuing her work, and I'm proud to introduce a bill inspired by that legacy that stands up for the rights of all Americans to have unfettered access to the ballot box," Kim said. "This bill is also just one step in a larger fight to make our democracy work better for the people. I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to make it easier for every American to participate in our democratic process."

"Access to voting is more important than ever, and we stand on the shoulders of activists and women like Alice Paul who not only talked the talk but walked the walk in their fight for equality and fairness in voting rights. We should be making voting easier, not harder, and that's why Congressman Kim and I are introducing this bill to provide all Americans equal access to the ballot box," Norcross said. "Our right to vote is sacred, and I look forward to working with my colleagues from around the country to ensure every American is afforded the opportunity to exercise that right."

Under the act, it would be unlawful for any person to hinder or prevent another person from registering or aiding another person in registering to vote. The legislation also encourages states to establish best practices to ensure that voting rights are protected.

"Alice Paul had an unswerving belief in the power of the vote, which is why she was willing to picket the White House, go to jail, and undertake multiple hunger strikes to earn it for women," Alice Paul Institute Executive Director Allison Titman said. "This bill pays tribute to her legacy by endeavoring to give that power of the vote to all Americans eligible to exercise it."

Paul was born in Mount Laurel in 1885. She attended Moorestown Friends School, graduating at the top of her class. She met Lucy Burns and joined the Women's Suffrage Movement while studying social work in England, according to the National Women's History Museum.

She was imprisoned for her efforts and forced to endure torturous conditions. News of her imprisonment and torture helped to shift public opinion on expanding the right to vote and was a critical turning point in the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment. Paul's legacy is enshrined at the Alice Paul Institute, which is located in Mount Laurel.

Read the full article on Patch here.