Montana Judge Denies Native American Tribes Better Access To The Polls

Federal Judge Richard Cebull rejected a request by several Native American tribes for satellite polling places on rural Montana reservations. Plaintiffs included members of the Crow, Fort Belknap, and Northern Cheyenne. They argued that traveling to the polls next week will be expensive and burdensome, including the fact some people would have to travel 120 miles to get to the polling stations that had been assigned to them.    

Even the Justice Department assisted with court filings saying, "The practical reality is that Indian voters in Big Horn, Blaine and Rosebud counties do not have the same opportunity as white voters."

But this wasn't good enough for Cebull. He said these realities were not extreme enough to force the government to set up the sites.  

Not that we'd expect better from Cebull, who is stepping down from the bench, because he sent a racist email referring to the president as an animal.  

Read more here. 

'Voter Fraud is a Felony' Billboards Coming Down

After much controversy, more than 140 billboards warning Ohio and Wisconsin residents that 'Voter Fraud is a Felony' will finally be removed. The anonymous 'private family' sponsor of the billboards will have them removed in exchange for remaining anonymous. 

Clear Channel, the company that owned the billboards, donated 10 billboards in Ohio reading 'Voting is a Right. Not a Crime!'  

Perhaps one of the most ardent critics of the billboards was Cleveland City Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland who said, "Needless to say I'm happy they will be taken down but I want to know who was behind this in the first place."

Agreed.

Read more here.

Man Arrested in Virginia for Destroying Voter Registration Forms

Republican consultant Colin Small has been arrested in Rockingham County, Virginia and charged with 8 election fraud felonies. He was employed by a private organization called Pinpoint to register Virginia voters and was working as a contractor for the Republican Party of Virginia. The police investigation began when a citizen complained about seeing voter registration forms in a dumpster behind a local business. In addition to the 8 felony charges for disclosing voter registration applications, Small has also been charged with one misdemeanor count of obstruction of justice and four misdemeanor counts of destruction of voter registration applications.  

More here.   

Anonymous Phone Calls Seek to Intimidate Voters in Virginia and Florida

The Virginia State Board of Elections reports, "some Virginia voters, particularly older Virginians, are receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals informing voters that they can vote over the phone. This information is false." Election Protection of Florida has found similar tactics to be taking place, particularly targeting Blacks and Spanish-speakers.

Let's hope people don't fall for such trickery and cahoots this November. More here. 

'Voter Fraud Is A Felony' Billboards Seek to Scare Black Voters Away From the Polls This November

Ten billboards in low-income minority Cleveland neighborhoods are warning voters that 'Voter Fraud is a Felony,' telling residents that they may face jail time and huge fines. 

Other billboards have been posted in Wisconsin as well.

Who is paying for these billboards?

They are "paid for by a private family foundation."  

This is clearly an attempt to confuse and suppress vulnerable voters.

Phyllis Cleveland, a councilwoman for the city says, "When you have the words 'felony,' 'voter,' and 'fine' all the the same message, and by placing it where it is, the only message that you are intending to send is that this is a threat to you if you vote... It's just a blatant attempt to keep people in this community, particularly black people and poor people, from voting."

SBW agrees. Read more here. 

Will the South Rise Again With the Help of Voter Suppression?

Despite the growing diversity in the South, Republican elected officials have yet to embrace it and instead, have sought to limit the political participation of these groups. Nearly all of the states in the former Confederacy have passed laws that restrict voting rights, which have a disproportionate impact on minority voters. From requirements of government-issued ID and requirements of proof of citizenship to reductions in early voting periods and felon disenfranchisement, these measures have the ability to bar millions of Americans from the polls this November. Not to mention the confusion that has arisen over the constantly changing laws and requirements.

Let Ari Berman of The Nation give you the details and dispel some of the confusion.

South Carolina Voter ID Law Not in Place For November Election

South Carolina's voter ID law will not go into effect for the 2012 presidential election, according to a three-judge panel. However, it may be implemented in 2013 elections. The panel found that it had no discriminatory purpose. Read more here.

 

'Souls to the Polls' Still Going Strong Despite Voter Suppression Attempts

According to the Associated Press, Black and Latino church leaders are fighting back against voter ID and other laws that disproportionately impact minority groups. African American churches have traditionally used 'souls to the polls' to rally voters by driving them to early voting sites. 

But since early voting has been abolished in some swing states, church leaders have planned caravans to the polls on Election Day instead. Not only are collection plates being passed but so are voter registration cards. 

The PICO National Network, which is a coalition between Black and Latino faith leaders, held "Let My People Vote Sunday" last month and 300 churches held voter registration drives during church services. It recruited church members to register others. 

Reverend F.E. Perry of Ohio sees the new voting rules as an assault on civil rights gained by minorities during the 1960s. “We’ve come too far to sit idly by and watch that happen. We want to get souls to the polls. Whatever it takes to get them there, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Read more here.  

PA Judge Says Voter ID Cannot Be Required For November Election

The bottom line is that poll workers can ask voters for ID but cannot deny their right to vote in November.  The requirement will be postponed until after the election.

Read more here, here, here, and here. 
 

Speaking of Voter Suppression - Felon Disenfranchisement in the Upcoming Election

According to the ACLU, felon disenfranchisement will bar 5.3 million Americans with felony and misdemeanor convictions from voting in November.    




Maine and Vermont allow prisoners, probationers, and parolees to vote.

The District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah allow probationers and parolees to vote.

California, Colorado, Connecticut, New York, and South Dakota allow only probationers to vote.  

Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin allow people with felony convictions to vote upon completion of their sentence.

Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, and Wyoming allow only some people with felony convictions to vote. 

In Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia, people with felony convictions are permanently disenfranchised. Some felons may apply to have their rights restored by the governor.


Learn more here.

Election Protection Smartphone App

The Election Protection Smartphone App is here:

It was created by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Association of Latino Appointed and Elected Officials Education Fund, the New Organizing Institute, Rock the Vote and the Verified Voting Foundation.

The app provides information to voters in both English and Spanish as it allows them to verify their registration, look up their polling place, review key voting rules and regulations for their state, see what type of machine they will vote on, and contact Election Protection via phone or email to report a problem or get answers to their questions.

You can scan the QR code on your smartphone to download the app.

Learn more here.     Rock the Vote, 866 Our Vote, National Council of La Raza, Voto Latino, Native Vote, 18 Million Rising, Color of Change