Raleigh – What do you do when your “monster” elections bill is ruled unconstitutional and found to target minorities with “almost surgical precision”? If you’re a North Carolina Republican, you revive it piece by piece.
In 2013, Republicans passed a “monster” voter suppression bill that cut early voting and required voters to show specific types of photo ID — restrictions that disproportionately affected minorities.
Republicans announced new cuts to early voting, including eliminating the popular final Saturday of early voting; nearly 1 in 10 early voters (9.41%) vote on the final Saturday in 2014. In practical terms, the law threatens to reduce the number of early voting sites by mandating 12-hour days at all polling locations, putting a strain on election workers and stretching budgets thin.
Some elections board members are already concerned that language in this new bill was previously declared unconstitutional under the old “monster” law. Election officials were not considered in these changes:
“Apparently Lewis and other #ncga legislators didn't ask for any relevant data or information about the bills' effects from @NCSBEstaff #ncpol” – NC Insider, 6/14/18
Today’s news comes after Republicans announced last week a constitutional amendment to force voters to present an ID to cast a ballot. The measure is vague and undefined, giving the same Republicans who targeted minorities with “almost surgical precision” wide latitude to fill in the details at a later date.
Respected North Carolina experts from both sides of the aisle have come out against the amendment:
“This bill will disenfranchise voters and is poorly thought through.” – Former Special Counsel to the N.C. General Assembly Gerry Cohen, News & Observer, 6/11/18
Facing a blue wave and people marching in the streets demanding respect, Republicans are reacting the only way they know how – rigging our state and elections in a desperate attempt to hold onto power.
“Republicans are relaunching their unconstitutional ‘monster’ voter suppression bill piece by piece, creating new hurdles to the ballot box out without the input of the public or our election officials,” NCDP spokesman Robert Howard said. “These changes will make it harder for people to vote and are a clear sign that Republicans are desperate to rig our elections one last time before losing power this November.”
North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin released the following statement after the North Carolina General Assembly passed new changes to early voting, which cut the popular final Saturday of early voting and may strain election workers and resources:
“This law will make it harder for North Carolinians to vote, plain and simple. Republicans tried to rig our elections before, and they’re doing the same now. It’s no coincidence this effort comes right before Republicans face a bruising election season and a blue wave of fired up voters. The only way to protect the right to vote is to break the Republican super-majority this fall.”
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