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The Democratic Strategist

Political Strategy for a Permanent Democratic Majority

ACLU Gains Ground Vs. Voter Suppression

Tip of the hat to the American Civil Liberties Union for their great work in fighting voter suppression. From Dale Ho’s “Four Bad Voter Suppression Measures We Have to Kill in Four Months“:

North Carolina. North Carolina’s sweeping voter suppression law, among other things, cuts early voting, bans same-day registration, and prohibits the counting of ballots cast at the wrong precinct. The ACLU and co-counsel, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, filed suit against this voter suppression, and on May 19 filed a motion to stop the law before the November election. A hearing on our motion is scheduled in federal court in North Carolina on July 7.
Arkansas. On April 24, the ACLU of Arkansas won a court order ruling that Arkansas’ strict voter ID law violates the Arkansas Constitution. The trial court, however, halted the decision, permitting the ID law to go into effect for the primary elections. That meant nearly 1,000 voters were disenfranchised. On June 24, the ACLU filed a motion with the trial court to lift the stay, and block the ID law for the November election. Meanwhile, the case is headed to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Kansas. The ACLU is challenging Kansas’s dual registration system, which segregates voters into two separate and unequal classes: those who can vote in all elections (who need to show a photo ID when they vote), and those who can vote for federal offices only. On June 27, we filed a motion to stop this illegal system, as a violation of Kansas law. A hearing on our motion is scheduled for July 11 in Topeka.
Ohio. The ACLU is challenging Ohio’s elimination of a week of early voting, evening voting hours, all but one Sunday of early voting, and same-day registration. Yesterday we filed our motion in federal court to stop these cutbacks before the November elections.

The post goes on to note that the ACLU’s win vs. Iowa’s shameless voter purge program is being appealed to the state’s Supreme Court. The ACLU’s victory in striking down Wisconsin’s voter ID law is also being appealed in the federal Seventh Circuit court.
The ACLU doesn’t get as much news coverage as it used to. But it’s still providing critical leadership in the fight against voter suppression laws designed to disenfranchise minorities. Killing these suppression laws before election day is a tough challenge. But if it can be done the ACLU will find a way. For more information about their fight against voter suppression, click here.

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