Holt Introduces "Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act"

by: Juan Melli

Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 01:41:18 PM EST

Recent elections have been marred by allegations of deceptive practices that frequently focus on minority or low income neighborhoods. According to several non-partisan organizations, voter suppression through deceptive practices and intimidation are on the rise.  In 2006, registered voters in Virginia received phone messages falsely warning them that the "Virginia Elections Commission" had determined that they were ineligible to vote, and over 14,000 Latino voters in California received letters asserting that it was illegal for immigrants to vote. [...]

"It is a travesty that American citizens are still routinely prevented from exercising their constitutional right and civic duty of voting through despicable tactics of suppression.  Passage of this important legislation will make it clear that disenfranchising voters through intimidation or through willful deception about the time, place, or eligibility for voting is unacceptable and illegal," said Holt.

Verifying and Suppressing the Vote

by: Juan Melli

Tue Aug 29, 2006 at 10:46:58 PM EDT

My legislation, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (H.R. 550), has received overwhelming support from people like you from all over the country.  Recognized as the "gold standard" of election reform by VerifiedVoting.org, the bill now enjoys the support of 207 members of the House of Representatives, making it just 11 members shy of a majority.

Despite the increase in support for verified voting, we don't have it yet, and besides technological concerns, there's always the very real threat of voter intimidation and suppression. The Republican party has a history of suppressing the minority vote - nationwide and in New Jersey - and there's no reason to let our guard down this year.

In 1981, Republicans sealed Tom Kean Sr's victory by hiring a group of armed white thugs to intimidate black and Hispanic voters. In that gubernatorial election, Tom Kean Sr defeated Jim Florio by just 1,797 votes - the narrowest victory margin in the state's history. That year, Republicans set up the "National Ballot Security Task Force" - a group with the sole purpose of harassing, intimidating and discouraging the participation of qualified black and Hispanic voters in Newark and Trenton.

The armed officers were drawn from the ranks of off-duty county deputy sheriffs and local police, and prominently displayed revolvers, two-way radios and BSTF armbands. BSTF patrols challenged and questioned voters at the polls and blocked the way of some prospective voters.

This is how Tom Kean Sr came to power. Let's not forget what they're capable of. Although we'll continue to fight to make sure our votes are counted properly, it won't matter if the voters can't cast them in the first place.