Author Archives: ELECTIONLAWCENTER.COM

RNLA: “We’re going to replace Holder in a year”

More on the fight between the RNLA and Eric Holder at the Daily Caller.

” . . . That was a very quick study to see where there were reported incidents of voter fraud.”

Norcross added that he thinks Holder is “just like his boss [Obama]” in that “he will say anything it takes to fit his argument at the time, whether it’s true or not.” Norcross said that Holder distorted his group’s study because he “needed to justify” the Obama administration’s stance that voter fraud isn’t real. “He obviously can’t find any studies that back his position so he takes ours and misquotes it,” Norcross said.


Norcross thinks Holder owes the RNLA an apology too, and should come out and explain the real findings of the group’s study. “But I don’t think that I’m going to get it [an apology],” Norcross told TheDC. “Frankly, apologizing to me for this is minor compared to allowing the New Black Panther case in Philadelphia with the batons threatening voters — they never did anything about that. He’s stonewalled Fast and Furious.”


“I’m not expecting an apology,” Norcross continued. “I’m just expecting we’re going to replace him within the year.”


 

Will DOJ Strike Down VA Voter ID?


Virginia has always asked its voters to show a registration card, driver’s license, military ID or some proof of identity, but previously those without it could still cast a vote and sign an affidavit swearing they are who they say they are.


Opponents of the legislation feel that moving closer to required photo ID is tantamount to a poll tax, although Virginia still allows non-photo forms of ID such as utility bills.


 


Story and video here.

“Can safeguards against voter fraud sway an election?”


In Vernon, California, it looks like they just did.



In the tiny town of Vernon, with just 112 residents and 74 registered voters, a handful of fraudulent votes can – and almost did – change the outcome of a local election:


 


In response to allegations by the area’s Chamber of Commerce that at least 30 percent of votes in a tight city council race were fraudulent, the city discarded six ballots on Tuesday – just enough to tilt the race in favor of the challenger, who won by five votes. . .


 


The Chamber alleged that 21 of Vernon’s 74 registered voters did not actually live in the town. The voter rolls in Vernon had grown by 12 during the year prior to election day, leading to allegations of potential fraud during the campaign. The town launched its own investigation after finding that nine voters were registered to a single address.


 


Full story at Heritage.

Rhode Island Photo ID Road Show Rolls On


Rhode Island Secretary of State Ralph Mollis is offering voters free photo voter IDs at locations throughout the state this month, in advance of the April 24 presidential primary elections for which IDs will initially be required.


 


The ID, which will include a color photo of the voter and the voter’s full name as it appears in the state’s voter registration database, will be created on the spot.


 


“Photo ID ensures that poll workers can match a face to the name that voters give them when they obtain their ballots at the polls. The simple act of asking for ID protects the rights of every voter,” said Mollis.


 


Full story here.

Mississippi Voter ID Law “Not Expected by November Elections”


Despite the wide margin of voter support for Mississippi’s new Voter ID requirement, representatives are not optimistic about the law’s chances for approval prior to November 2012 elections – nor should they be, if their plan is to submit the law to DOJ for preclearance.   


Voters passed a ballot initiative in November 2011, with 62 percent in favor of the measure. An amended version passed the Senate, meaning HB 921 now will be kicked back to the House of Representatives. . . 
 


Once signed into law, the new constitutional amendment has to be approved by the United States Justice Department*.  Rep. Gary Chism, R-Columbus, said he supports the bill, but he expects the Justice Department will turn it down, forcing an appeal.   Either way, Chism said it’s unlikely voter identification requirements will be enforced by the November Presidential election.

*No, it doesn’t – it can be submitted to U.S. District Court for preclearance.  But Chism is right to expect that DOJ will turn it down and attempt to prevent its implementation or at least delay until after November.

Meanwhile, predictably, ACLU and NAACP are already planning their challenges.


The American Civil Liberties Union is pushing for Attorney General Eric Holder to intervene.  


 


Lavonne Harris, president of the Lowndes County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said NAACP representatives at the local and state level plan to challenge the amendment, because they feel it’s a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.