Tag: Voter Suppression

Setting the record straight on voter ID polling

March 6, 2013 at 9:13 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Supporters of new laws to require North Carolinians to produce a government-issued form of photo identification every time they troop to the polls love to cite public opinion for the proposition that average North Carolinains are all for their idea. You’ve heard their mantra: “Public opinion polls show that large majorities support voter ID. This isn’t even a controversial idea for most people.” One prolific Republican tweeter had this to say earlier this morning:

“Polls consistently show 70% of NC in favor of voter ID. Calling all those people racist? Not brilliant.”

How’s that for preemptive spin manipulation?  People who oppose mandatory photo ID for voting are calling the proponents “racists”??

This is, of course, hogwash.

First of all, Read More…

Statement from Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina on latest voter ID developments

March 5, 2013 at 2:29 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Just in from one of the state’s leading pro-democracy advocates, Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina:

“Today, the NC Republican House leadership announced a process to hear comments from the public and move toward adoption of legislation that would require voters to show a photo ID before voting, if they vote in person. Legislators say that the bill will also include new requirements for mail-in absentee voters.

We appreciate the genuine invitation from Rep. David Lewis and Speaker Thom Tillis for groups that oppose the photo ID requirement to participate in the process. We share their stated commitment to provide a voting system that is secure, fair, and accessible. Election Day is the one time when we are equals. We can not tolerate political manipulation or election fraud that gives some voters an advantage and turns others into second-class citizens. Read More…

Media conference Call Briefing: Exposing ALEC’s economic agenda in the states

February 12, 2013 at 1:58 pmCategory:NC Budget and Tax Center | Uncategorized

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Tomorrow at 1 pm the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) will host a media conference call on the economic policy agenda promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC recently faced scrutiny for its promotion of the controversial “stand your ground” gun policy and strict voter identification laws. However, the group’s economic and fiscal policy agenda is less well-reported. The conference call will feature a panel of experts who have examined ALEC’s economic and fiscal policies and will share their findings on how these policies threaten investments important to economic growth.

Members of the media who would like to register for the conference call, contact Phoebe Silag or Donté Donald in the Economic Policy Institute media relations department at news@epi.org or 202.775.8810 to RSVP and for call-in information.

New website exposes flaws in voter ID requirements

January 25, 2013 at 3:20 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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The nonpartisan advocates at Democracy NC have launched a new website that exposes the flaws in voter ID proposals – http://protectourvotenc.com.

The current lead story links to a powerful new chart that describes the disproportionate impact of a photo ID requirement on different groups of voters.

 

Fayetteville O columnist: GOP missing an opportunity with African-American voters

January 14, 2013 at 8:28 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Fayetteville Observer columnist Myron Pitts says that the North Carolina Republican Party is making a terrible political blunder with its plans to plunge ahead with mandatory voter ID legislation. Pitts says that it’s obvious that the legislation is designed to suppress Black voter turnout:

“But the real reason for the laws is to suppress Democratic votes, in particular votes by lower-income, black and young voters. The laws instead have had the opposite effect: Democrats have rightly painted them as threats to voting rights, and turnout among the targeted groups has increased. In November, in the critical swing state of Ohio, where the GOP made a heavy voter ID push, President Obama boosted his turnout among blacks by 33 percent from 2008, a year when his history-making run had already increased the number to historic levels.”

Pitts goes on to say that the GOP would be be much better served to actually compete for the African-American vote rather than trying to suppress it. After describing a part of the Black business community in Fayetteville he says this: Read More…