NC NAACP Reacts to two voting bills: Voter Suppression vs. Voter Empowerment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17 April 2013

For More Information:             Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, President, 919-394-8137

Mrs. Amina J. Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700

                                  Atty. Jamie Phillips, Public Policy Coordinator, 919-682-4700

RALEIGH - In the face of unconstitutional, discriminatory and immoral efforts to cut early voting, end Sunday voting, eliminate same day registration and take the $2,500 tax credit from parents whose students register to vote where they attend college, the North Carolina NAACP commends the introduction of the "Ella Baker Voter Empowerment Act" (Senate Bill 708 and House Bill 689).  The Ella Baker Voter Empowerment Act expands North Carolinians ability to vote.  In the spirit of those who died and dedicated their lives to ensuring equal access to the vote, Senators McKissick, Robinson and Bryant as well as Representatives Alexander and R. Moore acted pursuant to the NC Constitution, U.S. Constitution and the moral fiber of this state by seeking to empower the North Carolina voter. 

S.B. 708 and H.B 689 create election day registration,  expand one-stop voting to two Saturdays and two Sundays,  require polls to stay open for six to eight hours on the final Saturday before election day,  create online voter registration and expand the locations that one stop polling sites are required.  Under this bill state employees will receive twenty-four hours of annual paid leave for election service.  In addition, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds will be restored to improve elections in North Carolina.  Lastly, all elections officials will have to be certified on election laws and procedures related to voting.  In the face of unnecessary bills aiming to suppress the minority vote, we applaud the expansion of voting rights for all North Carolinians as exemplified by this bill.

Unfortunately, the Ella Baker Voter Empowerment Act is not being discussed in today's House Elections Committee Meeting.  Instead, committee members will debate a voter suppression bill, House Bill 589.  Last week, the North Carolina NAACP unequivocally denounced HB 589 which would require North Carolinians to pay for voter photo ID before voting. Without question, that was a poll tax.  Only after the NC NAACP and our allies extensive presentation on how the bill is a poll tax and that forcing people to pay for ID is unconstitutional did they adjusted the bill to provide "free" photo IDs.  But these IDs are not free.  Requiring ID remains unconstitutional, discriminatory and unnecessary.  North Carolina already has the best law, signature attestation which was a bipartisan compromise years ago.  

Even with the changes to the bill it would place undue burdens on many voters who do not have the time and resources to get the required IDs and this "free" ID will likely cost North Carolina Tax payers in the long run.  Article I, Section 10 of the North Carolina State Constitution says, "All elections shall be free".  The 15^th Amendment of the United States constitution says, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The 24^th Amendment of the United States Constitution says, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax."  Put simply, there is no compromising our voting rights. 

House Bill 589 continues to disadvantage many students, treating students attending public universities different than students attending private universities.  This is because only government issued IDs are acceptable forms of voter ID.  Private school IDs are not acceptable and those students will have to take unnecessary steps to obtain a government issued photo ID.  

Before the House Committee on Elections votes on HB 589, the NC NAACP and Advancement Project will submit into the record information refuting claims of fraud in North Carolina that were made by those seeking to suppress the vote of certain groups of people. Both organizations contend that voter fraud is close to non-existent in North Carolina. Unfortunately, the testimony presented in the April 10, 2013, public hearing inaccurately claimed the existence of fraud that would be addressed by a voter ID requirement. The vast majority of people who provided testimony in favor of the voter ID legislation read word-for-word from prepared statements that were drafted by the North Carolina Voter Integrity Project (VIP-NC) that suggested rampant voter fraud. VIP-NC has been thoroughly discredited by its filing of tens of thousands of often baseless challenges to voters throughout the state over the past two years, suggesting that their support for voter ID requirements is disingenuous at best.

It is time for all residents of North Carolina to question the motivation behind these voter suppression tactics.  Some in the legislature have pointed to fraud as the reason behind this roll out of voter suppression bills.  The claim of prevalent voter fraud is fraudulent in itself.

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.