Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Vice Chair of Policy Darren Soto and CHC Chair Nanette Barragán hosted a roundtable on September 24, 2024, with CHC members, Congressional leadership, Biden-Harris Administration officials, and community stakeholders focused on voting rights issues affecting Hispanic communities ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Roberta Braga, Founder and ED of DDIA joined the discussion to share her perspectives on the impact of online harms on voting rights and voter supression.

During the roundtable, attendees spoke about barriers affecting access to the ballot box for Latinos across the country—such as reducing vote-by-mail and early vote options, mis/disinformation, gerrymandering, language barriers, petition drive limitations, and other suppression tactics—and ways Congress and the Executive branch can work in local communities to mitigate issues.

In addition to Vice Chair of Policy Soto and Chair Barragán, the following Members of Congress were present at the roundtable:

  • House Democratic Caucus Leader Hakeem Jeffries 

  • House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu

  • CHC Vice Chair of Member Engagement Tony Cárdenas

  • CHC Vice Chair of Communications Norma Torres

  • CHC Whip Sylvia Garcia

  • CHC Freshman Representative Andrea Salinas 

  • Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández 

  • Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García

  • Rep. Delia Ramirez

The roundtable was attended by the following Biden-Harris Administration officials: 

  • Ben Hovland, Chair, U.S. Election Assistance Commission

  • Rochelle Garza, Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

  • Ann Lewis, Director of Technology Transformation Services, U.S. General Services Administration 

The roundtable was also attended by the following stakeholders: 

  • Jose Artemio Arreola, Director of Communications at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights "ICIRR"

  • Roberta Braga, Founder and Executive Director at Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas (DDIA)

  • Anais Carmona, Director of Congressional Affairs at Microsoft 

  • Diana Castaneda, Vice President of Communications at Voto Latino

  • Sian I. Du’Prey, Midwest Programs Director at Hispanic Federation

  • Valerio Martinelli, Legislative Director at NALEO Educational Fund

  • Rebecca Mears, Director for Democracy at Center for American Progress

  • Christina Morales, Texas State Representative, House District 145

  • Liliana Ranon, Vice President of External Affairs at the National Association of Broadcasters

  • Michael Rios, Senior Data Scientist at UCLA Voting Rights Project

  • Lourdes M. Rosado, President & General Counsel at LatinoJustice PRLDEF

  • Gabriel Sanchez, Senior Fellow/Professor at the University of New Mexico, Brookings Institution

  • Andrea Senteno, Regional Counsel at MALDEF

  • Dr. Ray Serrano, National Director of Research and Policy at League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

  • Marcos Vilar, Executive Director at Alianza for Progress