Absentee voting for Katrina evacuees
Posted by R. Neal
Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL7) has introduced the Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Act of 2005 (HR3734) that would allow displaced Katrina evacuees to vote in their home state elections by absentee ballots under the same protections afforded absent military and overseas voters. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced a similar bill in the Senate (S1867).
The legislation would require evacuees to certify their status and former address and attest that they intend to return to the area. They would then be allowed to vote in their home state by absentee ballot according to the state's rules.
To date, 38 Democrats and no Republicans have cosponsored the House bill, and two Democrats (Kerry and Landrieu) cosponsored the Senate version. Republicans are reluctant to sign on. According to the Birmingham News:
OK, then.
P.S. What's up with the right-wing's predilection for opposing the people's right to vote? Democrats may be accused of getting lots of dead people to the polls, but they're not generally accused of vote suppression.
Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL7) has introduced the Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Act of 2005 (HR3734) that would allow displaced Katrina evacuees to vote in their home state elections by absentee ballots under the same protections afforded absent military and overseas voters. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced a similar bill in the Senate (S1867).
The legislation would require evacuees to certify their status and former address and attest that they intend to return to the area. They would then be allowed to vote in their home state by absentee ballot according to the state's rules.
To date, 38 Democrats and no Republicans have cosponsored the House bill, and two Democrats (Kerry and Landrieu) cosponsored the Senate version. Republicans are reluctant to sign on. According to the Birmingham News:
Birmingham's Republican congressman, Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, opposes the bill.Of course it "obviously opens the door to potential abuse", because, you know, many of the evacuees are poor black people, not to mention Democrats. Give me a break. Rep. Davis has a good counter-argument:
"It's a departure from established voting procedures and obviously opens the door to potential abuse," Bachus said Tuesday.
[..]
Louisiana's other senator, Republican David Vitter, told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that Congress should be working on helping displaced residents return to Louisiana, first and foremost, and that the voting legislation should wait.
"It is not a partisan bill," Davis said Tuesday. "It may allow Democrats to vote in Louisiana but it may also preclude Democrats from voting in Tom DeLay or Richard Baker's districts."Right-wing partisan hackery notwithstanding, this legislation seems like a good idea. As Sen. Feingold says:
DeLay and Baker are Republicans from Houston and Baton Rouge, respectively, where many evacuees are staying.
"We must make sure that those who intend to return are given the opportunity to elect the federal leaders who will shape the recovery process," Feingold said in a written statement. "This is a common-sense measure that can assure those who have lost so much their right to participate in elections that will have a direct impact on their lives."Who could argue with that?
OK, then.
P.S. What's up with the right-wing's predilection for opposing the people's right to vote? Democrats may be accused of getting lots of dead people to the polls, but they're not generally accused of vote suppression.
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