November 10, 2021 (Florence, Mass.): Electile Dysfunction, a digital ad campaign from RepresentUs that parodies erectile dysfunction commercials and advocates for the Freedom to Vote Act, launches today. The ad stars actor Mark Ruffalo and features appearances by actors Jake Johnson and Jonathan Scott, who are among the 330 million Americans suffering from “electile dysfunction.” The new campaign hilariously compares problems in the bedroom to our political system arrives as the window to pass the landmark voting rights act and deliver more satisfying elections is closing in the U.S. Senate.
Watch Electile Dysfunction, which uses humor to raise awareness of the can’t-miss opportunity to pass the Freedom to Vote Act, a fast-acting bill to reform democracy.
“‘Filibusting’ just doesn’t make me feel good anymore. But Americans can say goodbye to electile dysfunction with the Freedom to Vote Act,” said actor Mark Ruffalo. “This video is a unique and fun way to engage people on a topic that isn’t always sexy. Sometimes laughter is the best medicine and our democracy needs some healing.”
“Our democracy is ailing. Lobbyists write our laws, billionaires and special interests buy politicians, and gerrymandering rigs our elections by allowing politicians to pick their own voters,” said RepresentUs CEO Josh Silver. “This bill is a game-changer and we encourage the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act by any means necessary.”
The Freedom to Vote Act fixes our “flaccid” democracy by curbing the influence of dark money in elections, ensuring baseline voter access, ending gerrymandering, and making Election Day a holiday. The historic bill would put an end to 19 anti-voter bills passed this year by state legislatures. Passing the Freedom to Vote Act will likely require fixing the filibuster. An analysis of state senate filibuster rules could provide the U.S. Senate with ideas for filibuster reform.
The Freedom to Vote Act’s ban on partisan gerrymandering would take effect this cycle, but that treatment will only work if the Senate prescribes it soon. If they fail, unfair maps could be in place for the next decade. RepresentUs’ Gerrymandering Threat Index shows 35 states are at extreme or high risk of gerrymandering. RepresentUs has also partnered with the Princeton Gerrymandering Project on a Redistricting Report Card that is catching gerrymandering in newly-drawn voting maps in states around the country. Nearly 90 percent of voters across the political spectrum -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- oppose gerrymandering.
“Every American deserves satisfying elections. The Freedom to Vote Act is a can’t-miss opportunity to bring the excitement back to our democracy,” said Silver.
Contact: press@represent.us
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RepresentUs is the nation’s largest grassroots anti-corruption organization, bringing together conservatives, progressives, and everyone in between to pass anti-corruption laws in cities and states to stop political bribery, end secret money, and fix our broken elections.