The cost of McDonnell's voter suppression

May 30, 2012

The Richmond Times-Dispatch editorializes, "At the time that the 2012 General Assembly was considering bills aimed at making sure that people who cast ballots in Virginia are, in fact, the people they claim to be, many legislators and proponents asserted costs would be minimal and could be handled within the scope of the State Board of Election's existing budget... With the announcement of the signing of the bills came two important admissions: (1) the cost of implementing the bill will start at $1.36 million; (2) 'well over 99 percent' of voters comply with the existing identification requirements."

Progressive Point: Bob McDonnell and conservatives in the General Assembly have constructed new hurdles to vote--and its going to cost us millions. A new law will make it more difficult for thousands of valid Virginia voters to cast a ballot this November. As if that wasn't bad enough, these new barriers to exercising our right to vote come with a costly price tag.

Voting is a fundamental right at the heart of what it means to be an American. Rewriting our laws makes it harder for minorities, seniors and students to vote. McDonnell has ignored Virginia's voters--and now Bob is making us pay the bill.

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. (Washington Times, March 15, 2012)


• Proponents of the legislation say its necessary to solve the problem of voter fraud, but even the bill's sponsor admits that voter fraud is not a problem and could not name an instance of it occurring. (YouTube)

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