Voter restrictions and intimidation

September 11, 2012

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports, "Virginia gets mixed reviews in a study of how well the election laws of 10 swing states protect voters from discrimination and intimidation when they try to cast a ballot. The study...was released Monday by the nonpartisan voting rights groups Common Cause and Demos. The report concludes that Virginia 'offers unsatisfactory protections for voters from wrongful challenges to their right to vote before Election Day, but better protections against wrongful challenges on Election Day and good protections for voters from intimidation by partisan poll watchers on Election Day, inside and outside the polls.'"

Progressive Point: In the world's leading democracy, voting must be free, fair, and accessible. In Virginia, new restrictions on voting mean it's more important than ever that citizens know their rights. Conservative politicians have campaigned hard to roll back voting rights. Now the Tea Party is planning a nationwide effort to bully and intimidate voters at the ballot box.

The new voter restrictions will make it harder for working Virginians to vote. That's not all: seniors and veterans who are lifelong voters face new hurdles as well. Restrictions and intimidation tactics have no place between eligible Virginians and their fundamental right to vote.

Get the Facts:

• Tea Party-affiliated groups are recruiting 1 million volunteers to bully in targeted communities on and before Election Day. (Common Cause, September 10, 2012)


• Virginia voters who have recently moved have until October 15th to update their registration to ensure their ability to vote in this year's election. (WAMU, August 29, 2012)


• The new voter ID law passed in Virginia forces voters who do not bring one of the approved forms of ID to the poll to cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted if they report to their election office with an approved ID within three days of the election. (Virginian-Pilot, July 30, 2012)


• Implementing these voting restrictions will cost Virginia between $522,000 and $1.26 million. (Washington Times, March 15, 2012)


• Proponents of the new Virginia legislation making it harder to vote say it's 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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