146 Years After the 15th Amendment, The GOP Assault On Voting Rights Is Going Strong
Today marks the 146th anniversary of the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which was intended to extend voting rights to…
Jeb! Doesn't Support Reauthorizing VRA, Continues Support of Disenfranchisement
Jeb Bush made clear that he fully reversed course on his "lose the primary to win the general" strategy, coming…
And North Carolina's Top Voting Suppressor is…
Congratulations to Governor Pat McCrory! The votes aren't in (damn those long lines) but we're naming McCrory as the top…
On VRA's 50th, Here Are 6 Senators Up For Re-Elect That Voted to Make Things Worse
Ms. Ayotte? "Aye." Mr. Burr? "Aye." Mr. Johnson? "Aye." Mr. Kirk? "Aye." Mr. Portman? "Aye."…
Americans For Prosperity’s Troubling Record On Voting Rights And Voter Registration
2014: Americans for Prosperity Mailed Incorrect Information to North Carolina Voters
Americans for Prosperity Mailed Incorrect Voter Registration Information to Hundreds of Voters In North Carolina. According to The News & Observer: “Hundreds of North Carolinians – and one cat – have received incorrect voter registration information, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. The information – an “official application form” – was sent by Americans for Prosperity, a national conservative group with a state chapter based in Raleigh.” [News & Observer, 9/25/14] AFP Under Investigation By North Carolina State Board Of Elections For Inaccurate Mailers. According to MSNBC, “A Koch brothers group is being investigated for sending mailers with incorrect information about how to register to vote to hundreds of North Carolina voters—and one cat. Joshua Lawson, a spokesman for the state board of elections, said his office opened the probe Monday after receiving a formal sworn complaint from the state Democratic Party about the mailers, which were sent recently by American for Prosperity (AFP). Lawson said state law requires the board to open an investigation if it receives a sworn complaint.” [MSNBC.com, 9/29/14] This Is Not AFP’s First Time Sending Out Inaccurate Voting Information. According to MSNBC, “AFP has said the mailers were an honest mistake, not an effort to mislead voters. But this isn’t the first time that the group, which came to prominence as part of the tea party movement, has sent out inaccurate voting information. And it’s also been involved in organized efforts to make voting harder.” [MSNBC.com, 9/29/14]NEWS: American Bridge Launches GOTV Ad Campaign in Support of McAuliffe
American Bridge 21st Century today announced a new digital campaign to help Virginia voters locate their polling place and learn about the Republican ticket’s history of fighting to restrict voting rights.
Earlier this year, Republicans in Virginia passed a restrictive new law to change voting requirements in the Commonwealth. The law limits the list of permissible forms of identification and severely restricts voters’ ability to cast a provisional ballot in the event they can only provide non-photo identification as proof of identity. The law hasn’t yet gone into effect and can only be stopped by electing Democrats like Terry McAuliffe, who will fight to uphold voters’ rights.
“Like many Republicans across the country, Ken Cuccinelli and Republicans in Virginia are trying to change the law to make it harder for minorities to vote. These desperate and cynical plans to gain the upper hand on Election Day are nothing more than an attack on democracy and our values as a nation,” said American Bridge president Rodell Mollineau. “Virginia deserves leaders who seek to inspire more people to make their voices heard, not craven politicians who gleefully suppress the rights of others for political gain. That’s why it’s crucial for Virginians who supports the right to vote for all Americans to find their polling place and vote for Terry McAuliffe and the Democrats.”
Josh Mandel On Voting Rights
2009: Mandel Voted Against Online Voter Registration And Other Voting Reform Measures. In 2009, Mandel voted against HB 260. The bill would allow online voter registration and absentee ballot requests, eliminate the requirement that a voter’s identification show the voter’s current address, expand from one to four the number of locations early voting can take place in a county, and automatically register people to vote upon graduating high school, updating information at certain agencies or updating driver’s license information. It would also create a formula for boards of elections to determine distribution of voting machines, eliminate the requirement that a person must reside in the precinct in which the person votes, require changes of address made to driver’s licenses to serve as notification of change of address for voter registration, and allow people who have moved within a county to cast a regular (not a provisional) ballot. It would require notification be sent if a board of elections does not accept a person’s voter registration or absentee ballot application and allow that person up to 15 days before an election to correct the voter registration application, allow people to request absentee ballots once for the entire calendar year, allow certain county-wide elections by mail, reform financing of elections and revise language on ballots and voter registration forms. The bill passed 52-46. [H.B. 260, 11/18/09]