Restrictions Could Keep Five Million Traditionally Democratic Voters From The Polls In 2012

[meegbear]

Source: TalkingPointsMemo.com

Restrictive voting laws in states across the country could affect up to five million voters from traditionally Democratic demographics in 2012, according to a new report by the Brennan Center. That's a number larger than the margin of victory in two of the last three presidential elections.

The new restrictions, the study found, "fall most heavily on young, minority, and low-income voters, as well as on voters with disabilities. This wave of changes may sharply tilt the political terrain for the 2012 election."

The study found that:

• These new laws could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.
  
• The states that have already cut back on voting rights will provide 171 electoral votes in 2012 - 63 percent of the 270 needed to win the presidency.
  
• Of the 12 likely battleground states, as assessed by an August Los Angeles Times analysis of Gallup polling, five have already cut back on voting rights (and may pass additional restrictive legislation), and two more are currently considering new restrictions.
  

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/restrictions_could_keep_five_million_traditionally_democratic_voters_from_the_polls_in_2012.php?ref=fpblg

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The total number, according to the Brennan Center, is the sum of the 3.2 million voters they estimate will be affected by new photo ID laws, "the 240,000 citizens and potential voters who could be affected by new proof of citizenship laws, 202,000 voters registered in 2008 through voter registration drives that have now been made extremely difficult or impossible under new laws, 60,000 voters registered in 2008 through Election Day voter registration where it has now been repealed, one to two million voters who voted in 2008 on days eliminated under new laws rolling back early voting and at least 100,000 disenfranchised citizens who might have regained voting rights by 2012."

[DonCoquixote]

1. Yes

and Florida leads the way. Of course, We have in part the Dixiecrat blue dogs to thank, as they tend to capitulate at every turn. Rick bought this election so he could play kingmaker, which is a card he will play if they dare to put Mitt romney as the frontrunner.

[qb]

2. Fascist GOP swine.

[Tippy]

3. I don't trust any blue dog.....by the way where is the right's pink elephants

[Steerpike]

4. Damn

Their evil plan is working!

[SoapBox]

5. So outrageous...

And where is the Supreme Court on the suppression of voting RIGHTS?

Oh ya...the Five Radicalized Activist and Extreme Judges...would ignore this.

SO outrageous.

[sulphurdunn]

8. You might also ask

why the DOJ is AWOL again.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

25. By Eric "Place" Holder?

Don't hold your breath.

[defendandprotect]

6. Fascism -- however ... can absentee voting help at all here -- while we still have Post Office???

[BadgerKid]

10. I hadn't put that together before...until now.

There's an all-out assault going on!

[defendandprotect]

16. ... and VA, for one, mails a lot of prescriptions for veterans -- for another ....

Imagine America without public education or Post Offices --

and, btw, that's estimated $50 BILLION in Post Office property --

This is far beyond greed, this is a hatred for humanity and peace, nature.

[liberal N proud]

7. How to win elections GOP style

[JackRiddler]

9. Now you see how much it meant when they destroyed ACORN.

[defendandprotect]

17. kr

[Blue_Tires]

24. +1

[libinnyandia]

11. get out the vote

What this means is: we're going to have to organize and make sure these voters get their ids. It will take a lot of work, but we can do it. Otherwise there will be more of the same from the Republicans.

[oldbanjo]

13. No it won't be the same. They will go after SS and Medicare

like you have never seen before.

[msongs]

12. the Democratic Party USA Inc cares not about this nor does the federal DOJ. too bad nt

[AndyTiedye]

14. Nothing We Can do to Stop It

The Repiglickins are doing this in states they control completely. Democrats in those states are powerless.
This pretty much kills our voter registration efforts in those states. Most of the people we would be
trying to register will have to send letters and money orders back to the states they were born in to get
a certified copy of a birth certificate. That takes months and costs money these people often don't have.

The only thing for it is to try to make sure that all the Democrats who ARE registered get to the polls.

The DOJ can make noise about it, but nothing else, since we know how the Supreme Court would rule.

[defendandprotect]

18. Dem Party is SILENT and useless on this issue, as on so many others -- !!!

Silence is also an answer !!!

But keep in mind this attack on voters is only happening because this is a RW

nation -- :rofl: -- :rofl: --

[JDPriestly]

15. I know an elderly woman -- will be 95 by the next election

who no longer drives and who will have to be driven to the next town to get her photo ID from the DMV. And what about voters in nursing homes? Lots of the people in nursing homes are immobile but mentally fine. Why are they preventing these seniors from voting?

[No Elephants]

19. And Democrats put ACORN out of business with a law later held unconstitutional.

Genius.

[r0nr0ntaiwan]

20. I just have to ask....

.... although I can understand why this seems upsetting to people, what is wrong with requiring that people bring IDs to vote? Voting isn't a right. It's a privilege. To exercise this privilege, people should be able to prove that they're eligible to vote, and prove who they are. IDs are a quick, simple solution.

Imagine if people found a way to illegally vote for your political opponent, and it could have been avoided if that voter had an ID card.

[No Elephants]

21. Imagine if you are in a wheelchair, sickly and on welfare.

You have to get yourself to the DMV and sit there until they call you, maybe hours. No one to help you use the john, bring you a sandwich, etc.

The hassle and cost of getting a photo ID just to vote is significant.

BTW, I cannot speak for your state, but, in my state, voting is a RIGHT for adults, though you can lose it.

And there are reasons Republicans keep calling for this not Democrats. And, no, the reasons are not that more Democrats commit fraud

[Rhiannon12866]

22. +1

:thumbsup:

[plumbob]

23. Voting IS a right. The 15th Amendment says just that.

IDs are not simple or quick with the way they're configured - you need an original birth certificate, to start.

Many ways to prove who you are - your bank sure didn't ask for your birth certificate, nor did the credit card company or just about anybody else.

It's the lack of alternatives that's the problem.

ID is not a problem. ONE KIND AND ONE KIND ONLY is the problem.

Nobody commits voter fraud through phony IDs - no need - they just hack the electronic machines. The idea that votes are still even counted is a fantasy of mine that really lacks evidence to back it up.