Mary Smith, the new president of the American Bar Association has appointed Maria Echaveste to the ABA’s inaugural Task Force for American Democracy, formed to look at ways to improve public trust in the U.S. election system. Maria joins a cohort of thought leaders, lawyers, former elected officials, and business leaders who represent a bipartisan group of recognized national leaders with expertise in American government, democracy, and the rule of law.

The Task Force for American Democracy will focus on:

Depoliticizing the administration of elections
Educating the public on the principles of our democracy and driving ownership of those principles into the American culture
Identifying and advancing improvements and innovations in our systems of elections that will address the root causes of the current politicization and lack of trust in our elections and in our democracy.

“Public education is essential for a functioning democracy and key to fulfilling the promise of America, yet continues to be under attack,” said Maria Echaveste. “The recent measures taken in states to radically restrict students’ curriculum, especially regarding our country’s history regarding race, is dangerous. Our 247-year-old experiment with democracy has only truly included all of its citizens since the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and even now regressive forces continue to try to limit and limit access to the ballot. I’m honored to join the ABA Task Force and will work to ensure that all understand that a thriving democracy requires an educated citizenry.”