Expanding Voter Access
“The U.S. Justice Department used its power under the Voting Rights Act to halt the Texas law, saying in a letter to the state today that the measure may disproportionately harm Hispanics. The department in December blocked a similar law in South Carolina (NFSESC).”
“The League of Women Voters, which filed one of four suits challenging the Wisconsin measure, in its own press statement disagreed. ‘Voting is not like cashing a check or getting on an airplane,’ state President Melanie Ramey said in the statement.”
“Dane County judge permanently enjoined the state's new voter ID law on Monday - the second judge in a week to block the requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls ... Monday's decision came in a case brought against Walker and the accountability board by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.”
“‘From this day forward, our elected officials are on notice that they cannot ignore the constitution and abuse the public trust by drawing districts to favor themselves,’ said Deirdre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida ...”
“The Florida Supreme Court dealt a blow to the Legislature on its final scheduled day, ruling Friday that redrawn Senate district maps are unconstitutional and tilted toward incumbents, even as justices upheld the House plan.”
“The League of Women Voters, the American Association of Retired People and several other groups are opposing the bills because many eligible voters don't have the type of identification required and could have difficulty getting it.”
“This isn't fair to these people – it isn't just, and it isn't right," said Janet Mason, from the [Hawaii] League of Women Voters. The latest shakeup again delays the Office of Elections from preparing for the August primary...”
“United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) each released the following statements today after the U.S. Department of Justice filed papers in court challenging portions of Florida’s new voting law.”
“A broad-based coalition of advocacy organizations, spearheaded by Tennessee Citizen Action, has mobilized to repeal Tennessee’s photo ID law and to increase voting-rights awareness. ... In the meantime, today, ACLU-TN is staffing a toll-free hotline for voters who encounter problems at the poll.”
A Dane County judge ruled Monday that the Wisconsin League of Women Voters' lawsuit challenging the state voter ID law can proceed since the League is a proper party to bring the lawsuit and Wisconsin Governor Walker is a proper defendant.