Worst of the Week: Voter suppression is going to Virginia's House floor

January 27, 2012

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports, "A bill to require voters without identification to cast provisional ballots is headed to the House floor... The legislation would alter existing law, which allows anyone who claims to be a registered voter to cast a regular ballot, even without proper identification. Democrats opposed the change, claiming it would suppress the vote of the elderly, the young, the poor and minorities."

Progressive Point: Just because there is no documented evidence of voter fraud doesn't mean conservatives won't use it as an excuse to keep people from voting. But even a manufactured explanation such as this is no excuse for a law that would prevent 20% of seniors from voting.

House Bill 9 makes it specifically harder for young people, the poor, minorities, and the elderly to vote. Voting is a fundamental freedom and an American right, and conservatives are trying to take it away from thousands of Virginians.

Conservatives will try to tell you that these bills are necessary to combat voter fraud even though no documented evidence that voter fraud is a problem. Voters without photo ID are disproportionately low-income, minority, disabled, young, and seniors.

Please contact your representatives now and ask them to oppose making it harder for Virginians to vote.

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