Remarks of Wade Henderson on Voter Suppression by Republican National Committee
October 28, 2004
Good morning. My name is Wade Henderson and I am the Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the nation's oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition. I am here today with my colleagues from the civil and human rights community to address the issue of voter suppression, a dagger poised at the heart of American democracy. By our presence here today, we urge the Republican National Committee and its state affiliates to "cease and desist" from activities that target minority voters and voters with disabilities for voter suppression efforts.
I am joined here this morning by Hilary Shelton, Director of Washington Bureau, NAACP; Cecelia Muñoz, Vice President, National Council of La Raza; Alan Charney, Civic Engagement Director, USAction Education Fund; Jim Dickson, Vice President for Government Affairs, American Association of People with Disabilities and a cross section of Americans concerned over the integrity of this upcoming election to say "not this time" to those who would use questionable methods to deny minority voters their day at the ballot box.
I think most Americans would agree that of all the rights for which our citizens have fought and died, none is more precious than the right to vote. Voting is the language of democracy. It grants all citizens the power to elect those who make decisions that profoundly affect their lives. And in our society, if you don't vote, you don't count.
Unfortunately, the right to vote has never been an automatic privilege of citizenship or something that could be taken for granted. American history is replete with far too many examples of the voting rights of many individuals, particularly racial minorities or those with disabilities, facing denial, intimidation and suppression often at the hands of state and local officials, and private citizens. We are here today to remind our fellow Americans - and the Republican National Committee --that democracy demands equality of ballot access for all Americans. Democracy equals one person one vote.
On October 19th, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights sent letters to both RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe expressing concern about recent reports that partisan entities, including the Republican and Democratic parties, planned to conduct aggressive challenges to voters at the polls during the November 2nd general election -- challenges that are likely to impact minority voters more harshly than non-minority voters. Our letter also cited an article in U.S. News and World Report in which Michigan state representative and Bush-Cheney campaign official John Papageorge was quoted as saying that the GOP would fare poorly in that state "if we do not suppress the Detroit vote."
In response to our letters and follow-up calls, the DNC responded in writing and we met with his staff to air our concerns. To date, we have not heard from RNC chairman Ed Gillespie or anyone else from the RNC. Moreover, they have apparently been unwilling to curtail their efforts to aggressively target minority voters and voters with disabilities for challenges at the polls.
For example, in recent days, Wisconsin Republicans have announced plans to initiate "background checks" on newly registered voters. This is an intimidation technique, designed to induce fear on the part of newly registered voters, particularly in minority communities. In addition, the BBC reports of a memo sent to top GOP campaign officials in Florida, identifying voters in Black precincts for possible challenge at the polls. In Ohio, Republicans plan to place recruits inside polling places to challenge the credentials of voters they consider suspicious. Reports are that these challengers are to be placed in "urban areas," which contain disproportionately more minority precincts.
In light of the widespread disenfranchisement of minority voters in 2000, it is more important than ever that this November's election proceed smoothly and equitably. The insertion of large numbers of partisan challengers into an electoral mix that already includes new identification procedures, highly contested new provisional ballots, and new voting equipment in some jurisdictions, could create a "perfect storm" of chaotic conditions that will again disenfranchise large numbers of eligible minority voters.
The role of political parties in our nation should not include coordinated efforts to suppress the vote of minorities and individuals with disabilities. The right to vote is not a partisan issue. The right to vote should mean the right to vote for all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or disability. Today, we call on the RNC to "cease and desist" any coordinated efforts to impede the democratic process.
