States Violating Voting Rights of Low-Income Americans

A group of non-profits have filed lawsuits in Indiana and New Mexico last week asserting that the states are violating the 1993 "Motor Voter" law that requires voter registration forms to be provided to low-income clients  in public assistance offices.   The lawsuits are meant to spur the numerous other states breaking this law across the country to make the necessary changes without being taken to court.  The Obama Administration has signaled a willingness to better enforce the law, though has not yet taken action.

...2.6 million people were registered through public assistance offices in 1995-1996, the first two years the [1993 National Voter Registration, or "motor voter", Act] was in effect. But registration has dropped precipitously throughout the nation since then, by 90 percent or more in some states...2 million to 3 million more low-income people could be registered each year if all states followed the law.

In places where advocacy groups have restored compliance without or without litigation, including Virginia, North Carolina and Missouri, voter registration has increased from almost 100% to fivefold in some cases.

As we struggle to disentangle our government leaders from their too cozy relationships with Wall Street, private student loan corporations, healthcare insurers, and countless other big business entities, we should remember that millions of our fellow citizens - the most vulnerable and exploited among us - are unable to join us in our on-going fight at the voting booth.  Facilitating voting from registration to election day is a fundamental social justice issue and one that can be long-term dividends in unparalleled ways.  We should support Demos, ACORN, Project Vote and the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in this critical work.

(Image by Daquella Manera)