What is Voter Suppression?
Voter suppression is the practice of employing strategies to unfairly influence elections, by preventing or discouraging people from voting. Voter suppression is carried out in many ways, including through strict voter ID laws, voter roll purges, gerrymandering, felon disenfranchisement and adding barriers to accessing the polls. Ending voter suppression is critical to defending a fair and thriving democracy.
Who's Affected By Voter Suppression?
The short answer is all of us. Our democracy is debased when the vote is not accessible for all. But the fact is that some groups are disproportionately affected by voter suppression tactics, including people of color, young people, the elderly, and people with disabilities. There’s proof that certain groups have been deliberately targeted -- for example, the government documents uncovered in the census case proved that the citizenship question intended to harm immigrants. Other times, the proof is in the numbers.
- Seventy percent of Georgia voters purged in 2018 were Black.
- Across the country, one in 13 Black Americans cannot vote due to disenfranchisement laws.
- One-third of voters who have a disability report difficulty voting.
- Only 40 percent of polling places fully accommodate people with disabilities.
- Across the country, counties with larger minority populations have fewer polling sites and poll workers per voter.
- Six in ten college students come from out of state in New Hampshire, the state trying to block residents with out of state drivers’ licenses.
Impact of Voter Suppression
- Across the country, 16 million people were removed from voter rolls between 2014 and 2016.
- Right here in New York City, 200,000 people were purged from voter rolls in Brooklyn, preventing them from voting in the 2016 primary election.
- Since 2013, over 1,000 polling centers were closed across the country, disproportionately in communities of color. Texas alone closed 750 polling centers, creating long lines. One man waited 7 hours to vote.
Airs Sunday September 27th at 7:30pm on MNN1 (Spectrum 34 & 1995, RCN 82, FiOS 33) or MNNHD (Spectrum 1993).
Why is Section 5 important?
In 2013, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was struck down by the Supreme Court. Section 5 required states and counties with a history of voter suppression to obtain approval by the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing any new changes to voting laws. Since section 5 has been struck down, states have acted to close polls, purge voter rolls, and implement strict ID laws and other barriers to voting without any oversight or accountability.
What you can do!
Support voting reform legislation that expands protections and access to voter participation. At the federal level, the Voting Rights Advancement Act H.R.4 (VRAA) and For the People Act H.R.1 (FPA) are two bills that support voting reforms. They have already passed in the House. VRAA would restore Section 5. FPA would expand and protect voting rights and reduce the influence of big money in politics.
3 Things!
Contact your representatives!
Express your support for the Voting Rights Advancement & For the People Acts.
Help register people to vote!
Register 5 people to vote in NY. Then register 5 people in a swing state!
Become a nonpartisan poll monitor!
Find your local polling center and sign up to become a poll monitor.
Voting in New York
New Reforms You Should Know About
- Early voting starts 10 days before an election in a limited number of polling locations.
- Same day federal and state primaries simplify the process.
- 16 & 17 year olds can pre-register.
- When you move within the state your registration is transferred to your new address automatically.
Proposed New York Voting Changes
- Automatic voter registration.
- Same day voter registration.
- “No excuse” absentee ballot: you do not have to meet any criteria to receive a ballot.
Where to Register
Register in person at your county board of elections or Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The deadline is October 9th, to vote in the General Elections. You can register by mail by downloading the application and sending it to your County Board of Elections.
College Students
- College students can register to vote at either their campus address or permanent/home address. You can only be registered and vote in one location.
- If you’re planning to register at your permanent address make sure to request an absentee ballot.
- Learn more: campusvoteproject.org
How To Protect Your Vote
The right to vote is the most fundamental constitutional right for good reason — democracy cannot exist without the electoral participation of citizens. We vote because it’s we, the people, who are supposed to shape our government. Not the other way around.
States can enact measures to encourage rather than suppress voting. Automatic, online, and same-day voter registration encourage participation and reduce chances of error. Early voting helps people with travel or accessibility concerns participate. And states must enforce the protections of the Voting Rights Act.
At an individual level, the best way to fight voter suppression is to vote. Here’s how to ensure your vote is protected:
- Tell your senators to pass the VRAA, which would reinstate critical protections against voter suppression left behind after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013.
- Know Your Rights before you get to the polling booth. Here’s a guide on what to do if you face registration issues, need disability or language accommodations, or come across someone who’s interfering with your right to vote. Share the guide on Facebook and Twitter to spread the word.
Resources
- Election Protection: Report voting problems or ask questions 866.687.8683
- Check your voting registration status.
- NY State Board of Elections: Get info on voting in New York State.
- NYC Board of Elections: Get info on voting in NYC.
- Register to vote, no matter what state you live in.
- Fair Fight: Get involved and combat voter suppression.
Information provided by NOW and the ACLU websites.
