Category Archives: News

News21 prepares for Texas voter ID court case

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On Monday, Washington, D.C., District Court will hear testimony over the Department of Justice’s rejection of the Texas voter ID law.

The News21 team is gearing up for the trip to D.C., and as we prepare for this case, we wanted to give you a brief look at the major players and what is at stake.

The law

The Texas Legislature passed its voter ID law in March 2011 on a party line vote — Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.

Federal approval

Texas is one of nine states subject to preclearance by the U.S. Department of Justice under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. After a slow response by Justice and the denial of a similar law in South Carolina, Texas officials decided to sue Attorney General Eric Holder before the Texas law could be denied preclearance.

The state sued on Jan. 23, although the department did not
formally deny preclearance until March.

What’s at stake

Texas legislators argue that the law is an attempt to prevent voter fraud by instilling confidence in the electoral process and giving election officials the tools to maintain the integrity of elections.

In court documents filed by Texas, the state also argues that federal oversight of the law overreaches authority.

Attorney General Holder and advocacy groups assert that the
law could disenfranchise thousands of registered voters — particularly Latinos,
who are one in five registered voters in Texas.

By Lindsey Ruta, News21

Latinos represent millions
of untapped voters

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Amid elections and voter ID legislation in states such as Texas and Arizona, “the Latino vote” has become a hot topic — and for good reason.

About 50,000 Latinos reach voting age every month, according to a
study by the Pew Research Center. That’s 600,000 voting eligible Latinos a year — a trend that is expected to continue for the next two decades.

By July 2050, the Hispanic population will represent 30 percent of the nation’s population, according to Census projections.

Texas has the second highest Latino population in the nation after California,
according to Census data. The Lone Stare State also is preparing to defend its voter ID in federal court next week against opponents who argue the law disproportionately affects Hispanic voters.

In Texas, the number of unregistered Latinos — 2,154,600 — exceeds the margin that John McCain had over Barack Obama in the state — 950,695,
according to the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank.

And this base of untapped voters would largely vote Democratic.

A study by the conservative public opinion group Resurgent Republic, indicates that 51 percent of Latinos are registered Democrats, 31 percent are registered Independents and 18 percent are Republican.

By Lindsey Ruta, News21

Florida felons make case for access to the polls at clemency hearing

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Florida felons make case for access to the polls at clemency hearing

Florida governor Rick Scott, right, listens to testimony from felons who are seeking to have their civil rights restored at a clemency hearing Thursday in the state Capitol. Photo by Michael Ciaglo/News21

Florida felons seeking the right to vote took the opportunity Thursday to make their case at the state Board of Executive Clemency.

People had the chance to present to the board — comprising Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam — reasons they deserve to have their rights restored. They spoke of their original conviction, recent charges against them, drinking habits and past drug use. Family and friends could also speak on their behalf, and advocates sometimes read statements submitted by victims.

Christine Fickey, whose conviction was not announced at the hearing, petitioned for clemency to regain her voting rights.

“I’m in college at the Hodges University,” Fickey said. “I just took American government, so I was very interested in politics, having a professor so passionate about it.”

For a felon’s request to be granted, Scott and two other board members must approve. If Scott denies the request, then it is non-negotiable.

By Andrea Rumbaugh and Michael Ciaglo, News21

Coffee Break Ballot, June 28: Current Trends in Voting Rights

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The way that Twitter behaved today might leave readers to think there was some kind of ground-breaking, presidential-election related piece of news that broke this morning.

(We kid; we’re well aware of the Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.)

Because of that news today, our usual sources for breaking voting rights news are relatively calm. Politicos and political reporters everywhere appear fixated on reactions and press conferences surrounding the 5-4 decision upholding the the landmark health care law.

In a way, this is convenient because we are busy drafting and editing our main stories – not to mention that yesterday was a considerable day in voting rights updates.

What We’ve Been Reading

“Ruling on provisional ballots issue expected by August,” (Laura A. Bischoff, 06/27, Dayton Daily News)

“Florida voter purge may restart after ruling,” (Gary Fineout, 06/27, Associated Press)

“Blood in the Water: Mike Turzai’s Voter ID Remarks,” (Stephen Colbert, 06/27, The Colbert Report)

“The Roberts Court is Born,” (Adam Winkler, 06/28, Huffington Post)

“AALDEF and APABA-PA Hold Press Conference to Explain new PA Voter ID Law’s Impact on Asian-Americans,” (Press Release, 06/28, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund)

Twitter Trends

The most noticeable shift among our four key search terms on social media search engine Topsy.com is that dozens of Twitter users have started to “ask” Florida Gov. Rick Scott to stop removing voters from state rolls.

Those tweets were very popular late last month when the controversial vote removal made headlines, but they died after the U.S. Department of Justice halted implementing the law. Yesterday, after District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that the purge could continue under federal law, the tweets resurfaced.

Does social media activism make a difference?

Plenty of users have tried to spread political and social issues across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other widely used sites. Because individual social media participation serves a largely self-selected audience, it is highly possible that most social activism tweets only get bounced among friends and acquaintances who already agree and have little political clout.

For more voting rights news and updates, follow us @WhoCanVote.

Latino leader addresses
Arizona immigration and ID laws

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Latino leader addresses <br> Arizona immigration and ID laws

Thomas A. Saenz is the president and general counsel for MALDEF, the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Photo by Khara Persad/News21.

The Supreme Court decision on Arizona’s immigration law this week has drawn not only national attention, but was the focus – along with voting law – of leaders who met Tuesday in Phoenix for the first Latino State of the State of Arizona.

Much of the event, presented by the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, centered on the high court’s ruling that left in place the most controversial portion of SB 1070, the so-called “show your papers” requirement.

Many attendees also spoke in opposition to Proposition 200, Arizona’s voter-ID law.

Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF’s president and general counsel, described the financial barriers faced by eligible Latino voters who would have to obtain an ID to vote as a result of law.

“You have to pay a price to vote,” Saenz said. “That’s not a price that a lot of people in the middle class or maybe even above are cognizant of, but for other communities, it’s quite difficult. It’s a barrier to vote.”

By Jack Fitzpatrick and Khara Persad, News21

Same-day registration could yield high voter turnout in Maine

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Same-sex marriage is returning to the ballot in November, three years after Maine voters rejected the law. Election Day registration, which Maine voters restored last year, could increase turnout among same-sex marriage supporters. And with presidential candidates on the ballot, turnout for both sides is likely to be high.

Marriage rights passed in the spring of 2009 by the Democratic Maine Legislature and governor, then the law was rejected in November 2009 when 53 percent voted to repeal it. The People’s Veto repeated last November when voters restored Election Day registration, which the Republican-controlled Maine Legislature ended five months prior.

Republicans generally oppose Election Day registration, saying that it leaves elections vulnerable to error.

Election Day registration could mean higher turnout for same-sex marriage supporters, said Mike Tipping, a magazine blogger and communications director for the progressive grassroots organization that led the People’s Veto in 2011.

“I think it could affect the vote,” Tipping said. “I think that people who are registering for the first time might be more likely to be young, and might be more likely to support marriage rights.”

The 2011 election was the first in 38 years when Maine residents could not 
register and vote on Election Day. Sixty percent of the 400,000 who voted last November, supported Election Day registration. But the turnout to repeal same-sex marriage was greater, drawing 570,000 voters in 2009.

By Alex Remington, News21

 

Elderly voters in Colorado turn to iPads for primary

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Elderly voters in Colorado turn to iPads for primary

Bernice Harris, 83, voted in the Colorado primary with the aid of an iPad. Photo by Alia Conley/News21.

Today is Colorado’s primary election, but some Denver residents were able to vote early — not by mail, but with an iPad.

Denver election officials went to senior centers last week and let voters select candidates on paper or on an iPad. Election judges explained how to enlarge the screen image and how to tap the screen to select a candidate.

 Bernice Harris, 83, said she hasn’t voted in 10 years, but the technology made it simple.

“It was easy,” she said. “I could see much better. [The election judge] showed me how to use it.”

Harris, who has lived at St. Paul Health Center for three years, said she would like to use an iPad to vote in November.

Through Monday evening, more than 400,000 ballots had been returned, and the majority of Colorado counties choose to vote by mail for the primary.

By Alia Conley, News21

Voter ID report by bipartisan commission still at issue, 7 years later

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The bi-partisan Commission on Federal Election Reform issued a 2005 report that recommended 87 changes to the U.S. electoral system. Many of those recommendations have not been implemented, but Robert Pastor, executive director of the commission, said it’s not too late.

“Almost every significant electoral system in the democratic world requires some form
of voter ID for its citizens to vote,” Pastor said. “The United States is one of the very few (that do not) and that’s mainly because our entire electoral administration system is severely lacking and one of the least impartial and professional election administrations in the entire world.”

In recommending that voter ID be required at polls, Pastor said, the commission considered Republican and Democratic views.

“There were two concerns, one by Republicans that an absence of voter ID can lead to
 electoral fraud and, from Democrats, that the inclusion of a voter ID card could lead to
disenfranchisement,” he said, adding that the commission sought a compromise.

Commissioner Spencer Overton, a law professor at George Washington University Law School, dissented, writing that the proposal “would prevent eligible voters from proving their identity with even a valid U.S. passport or a U.S. military photo ID card.”

Overton added that the ID proposal would make “the poor, the disabled, the elderly, students and people of color would bear the greatest burden.”

Overton’s dissent was sharp, but part of the commission’s discussion.

Pastor was disappointed in the reaction from elected officials, he said.

“The people on the commission were eager to listen to each other and to find legitimate areas of agreement,” Pastor said. “Our politicians are not interested in listening to each other and prefer a polarizing political climate. That’s where we are as a country.”

By Caitlin O’Donnell, News21

 

Photo ID opponents struggle to find disenfranchised Tennessee voters

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Tennessee’s photo voter ID law took effect in January, and while no lawsuits have been filed, lawyers are looking for affected voters willing to challenge the law.

The American Civil Liberties Union has been trying to file a lawsuit, but no plaintiffs have come forward.

“They remain silent and their right to vote is chilled, through no fault of their own,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU in Tennessee, “and they’re being labeled as apathetic.”

Many potential clients have been able ultimately to acquire the necessary ID, said attorney George Barrett.

Tennessee is not subject to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, so officials there do not need federal approval to change state and local election law. States with voter ID challenges such as South Carolina and Texas, which need Section 5 pre-clearance, have lawsuits pending and building a case in these states is easier than in Tennessee, Barrett said, because of the federal requirement.

By Kassondra Cloos, News21

Ballots abroad streamline election process

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U.S. troops serving overseas and Americans abroad should have an easier time voting in November.

“If you’re a voter today in the military or overseas, you’re in such a better position to vote successfully than ever in history before” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president and CEO of the Overseas Vote Foundation.

The federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act of 2009 requires ballots to be sent 45 days before elections, allows for blank ballots to be sent electronically, eliminates notary requirements and makes an emergency ballot easily available.

A January 2009 Pew Center report found that only about a third of military and overseas ballots counted because these groups received ballots too late to return them in time.

Despite the changes, the voting process isn’t perfect for military and overseas voters, Dzieduszycka-Suinat said.

People in remote locations, especially without computer access, might have trouble, she said. Plus, the act does not apply to state and local elections.

“We’re taking baby steps,” Dzieduszycka-Suinat said. “We’re not at the endpoint for any of this.”

By Sarah Jane Capper, News21

Note: This item corrects an error. In some instances witnesses are required for U.S. voters abroad.  A notary is no longer needed, but some states still require a witness, according to @WeVoteAbroad, a project of the the Union of Overseas Voters.