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.”
Republicans nationwide are pursuing similar legislation endangering the right to vote. These proposals are an admission that the party has no hope of winning elections without disenfranchising millions of voters. Republicans have come to the conclusion that it is easier to prevent Americans from voting than to propose forward-looking ideas that would appeal to a broader base of voters.
While American Bridge has previously invested in targeted digital campaigns to educate voters about Republicans’ harmful agenda, today’s ads mark the first time it has used its research in conjunction with an online tool to help voters find where to vote.
American Bridge 21st Century is a progressive organization committed to holding Republicans accountable for their words and actions through the use of opposition research, candidate tracking, and earned media communications.
MATERIALS:
Let Virginia Vote landing page: https://letvavote.com/
Virginia GOTV pre-roll ad: https://youtu.be/lQ1O4Be5RNg
Virginia GOTV video for LetVAVote.com: https://youtu.be/xWVWqTH9yNg
Research on voting rights:
Ken Cuccinelli – https://letvavote.com/cuccinelli/
E.W. Jackson – https://letvavote.com/jackson/
Mark Obenshain – https://letvavote.com/obenshain/
Gov. McDonnell Signed Legislation That Requires All Voters To Have A Photo ID. According to the Huffington Post, “Virginia law will require all voters to have photo IDs beginning next year. Gov. Bob McDonnell signed a bill Tuesday that his fellow Republicans said was a safeguard against voter fraud. Democrats bitterly denounced the legislation as a Jim Crow-era tactic to suppress the votes of the elderly, minorities and the underprivileged.” [Huffington Post, 3/26/13]
The New Law Eliminated A Rule That Allows Voters To Cast A Provisional Ballot If They Can Prove Their Identity Through A Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Or Social Security Card. According to the Huffington Post, “Last year, the Justice Department signed off on a less stringent voter ID law signed by McDonnell that allowed for a range of documents to be used for identification at polling places. But the new more restrictive voter ID law takes away the ability of Virginia voters to cast a ballot after showing a utility bill, bank statement or social security card as proof of identity.” [Huffington Post, 3/26/13]
MSNBC: The Legislation “Shrinks The List Of Acceptable Forms Of Identification A Voter Can Use To Cast A Ballot Starting In 2014.” According to MSNBC, “Only a day after Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe’s veto of a strict voter ID law, Virginia’s Republican Governor Bob McDonnell signed into law Tuesday the second major change to voting requirements in just over a year. The bill shrinks the list of acceptable forms of identification a voter can use to cast a ballot starting in 2014. The law eliminates the use of a utility bill, pay stub, bank statement, government check or Social Security card as acceptable identification, leaving only drivers licenses, voter ID cards, student IDs, and concealed handgun permits.” [MSNBC, 3/26/13]
Published: Oct 29, 2013