Voting Rights

Voter Suppression in the US by Frank Merritt

By DPMT Secretary Frank Merritt

Claims that non-citizens are voting at the urging of Democrats, whose combined actions resulted in former President Trumps losing the popular vote, have been repeatedly debunked by virtually every fact-checking organization. Voting by non-citizens in federal or state is extremely rare and has a negligible effect in such elections. The Brennan Center has estimated from records of the Heritage Foundation that the percentage of such votes by noncitizens is about 0.0001%. (Some localities allow permanent resident noncitizens to vote in local elections, but never in state of federal elections.)  Despite debunking these claims, it remains the primary rationale for numerous new laws restricting voting and for the purging of voter rolls. Actions combined that predominantly affect poor and Black people.

Until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, voter suppression of poor and Black voters was widespread in Southern states. When the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the Voting Act in 2013, its reasoning was that it was obsolete. However, after Trump lost the presidency in 2020 election, legislators introduced 400 bills, in nearly every state, aimed at restricting voter access, primarily in “precincts that lean Democratic or are home to large communities of color.”

In Georgia, for example, Senate Bill 202 was passed in 2021 and cut important mechanisms used by voters of color, including early voting, absentee ballots, and ballot drop boxes. Additionally, the law enacted new unnecessary ID requirements for absentee ballots. The law threatens groups like the League of Women Voters and its partners with fines for assisting voters with their absentee ballots.” While parts of this bill were overturned by lawsuits, its intent is lasting and makes it more difficult for Black people to vote in Georgia. North Carolina has introduced one of the strictest mail ballot ID laws in the country, with a new photo-ID requirement for in-person voting. The list goes on.

Abusive mass voter purges are being carried out in many states. These legislative actions which suppress voting rights makes it essential for every voter to confirm his registration before the November 2024 election.

Reality Check attempts to improve media literacy, educate readers about Democratic accomplishments and positions, and to counteract fake news. Additional sources can be found listed on the version published on the DPMT Issues page.

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