Rigging the vote

May 21, 2012

The Virginian-Pilot reports, "Gov. Bob McDonnell has decided to let controversial legislation to tighten voter-identification policies become law.... Among those disappointed that McDonnell didn't veto the measures was Anna Scholl, executive director of the liberal advocacy group ProgressVA. Virginians' voting rights are 'caught between Bob McDonnell's allegiance to his right-wing allies and his vice-presidential aspirations," she said, adding that the voter-ID law and accompanying executive order "are an expensive fix to a nonexistent problem.'"

Progressive Point: Bob McDonnell and his conservative allies in Richmond are putting up new hurdles that make it more difficult for Virginians to vote. They want to make it harder for students, minorities, and seniors to cast a ballot--just because they don't share their views.

Voting is a fundamental American freedom, but with a stroke of his pen Governor McDonnell has single-handedly made it harder for Virginians to exercise that right. If they can't win your vote they'd rather not let you vote at all. We've never solved anything in this country with less democracy and we shouldn't start now.

Get the Facts:

• According the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, implementing these voting restrictions would cost the state between $522,000 and $1.26 million. Not only are conservatives trying to implement what amounts to a poll tax, but they are also spending taxpayer money to do it. (Washington Times, March 15, 2012)


• While this bill is supposedly intended to solve the problem of voter fraud, even the bill's sponsor admits that voter fraud is not a significant problem and could not even name one instance of it occurring. (YouTube)

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