States' Attempts to Clean up Voting Lists Result in Unlawful Voter Purging and Suppression
Feature Story by Karen Tanenbaum - 10/17/2008
Tens of thousands of voters have registered in preparation for the 2008 presidential election; these numbers, however, are being offset by large-scale purges of voters from voter registration lists in key swing states.
States are trying to flag and remove ineligible voters from their lists to comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which requires states to update their election and voter registration procedures. But according to a study conducted by the New York Times, tens of thousands of eligible voters have been unlawfully removed from the rolls or blocked from registering in at least six swing states.
The study, which reviewed Social Security data and state records, showed that in some states, for every new voter registration in the past two months, election officials have removed two registered voters from the rolls.
States that appear to be violating federal laws for removing voters are Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana—the first six of which are key swing states in the 2008 presidential election.
Various voting rights and community-based organizations have filed lawsuits in Michigan, Florida, and Georgia. Other states are under close scrutiny.
On October 13, a federal judge ordered Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land to reinstate over 1,500 voters that had incorrectly been removed from voting lists.
States like Michigan and Colorado are also under fire for removing voters within 90 days of an election. Under federal law, only voters who have died, notified officials that they have moved out of state, or been proven unfit to vote may be removed within three months of an election.
In Colorado, 37,000 voters were removed from the lists in the three weeks starting on July 21. But during that time only 5,100 people moved from the state and 2,400 died, according to records.
Advocacy groups see state actions to remove registered voters as a form of voter suppression and are concerned about the effects that these voter purges will have on the election.
Over 100 civil rights, voting rights, and civic organizations have formed the Election Protection coalition to empower voters and to ensure that states adhere to federal laws when registering and removing voters before Election Day. The coalition's primary tool is a toll-free, nonpartisan hotline, in both English and Spanish, through which voters can report any voting problems or clarify unanswered questions.
"This historic election deserves a historic election protection effort," said Barbara Arnwine, executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "This major coalition will offer comprehensive resources with one simple goal - to ensure all eligible voters are given the opportunity to exercise their rights."
