Posts tagged voting
Shortest victory for civil liberties
4.8.09
Press Release
April 8, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY – The ACLU of Oklahoma applauds Governor Brad Henry for striking down a Voter ID bill that could have cost many eligible Oklahomans the right to vote. Senate Bill 4 would have required Oklahoma voters to provide proof of identity in order to vote. If voters did not show proof of identity, they would be required to vote by provisional ballot. Over 80 percent of provisional ballots were rejected in the last general election. Minutes after Henry vetoed SB 4, the Republican-controlled House passed SB 692 – a similar bill that would bypass the governor and go to a vote of the people in 2010.
“We are dealing with major budget shortfalls, high unemployment, and unaffordable health care, yet the legislature wants to waste time to debate an issue that is not a problem. There is not evidence of in-person voter fraud in Oklahoma,” said Tamya Cox, ACLU of Oklahoma Legislative Counsel. “We expect the legislature to deal with real, tangible problems such as inadequate space in our jails, and our teachers being underpaid – not fantasy issues.”
The League of Women Voters, AARP, NAACP, and other civic organizations oppose all Voter ID measures.
“The right to vote More >
New Hurdles for Oklahoma Voters Passes Committee
2.5.09
Press Release
February 5, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY – On Wednesday, HB 1037 passed in the House Rules Committee with an 8-4 vote. All Democrats voted no on this bill, and all Republicans voted yes.
The ACLU of Oklahoma, which is non-partisan, is interested in HB 1037 because if the bill passes in the house, many Oklahoma voters will be disenfranchised.
“When election reform is not joined by both parties, voters should not have confidence in the bill,” said ACLU of Oklahoma Legislative Counsel Tamya Cox. “Why would we create unnecessary obstacles for people to vote when the goal is to increase voter participation?”
During the committee meeting, Rep. John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow, stated that he would not mind having low Democratic turnout due to the photo ID requirements.
“The ACLU is distressed about the impact this bill will have on all voters, not just those of one particular party,” said Cox. “Because state legislators represent their entire district and not just those constituents of the same party, legislators should be concerned with the impact as well.”
HB 1037 will now be placed on the General Order and brought up for a third reading for the full body of the House.
Requiring proof of identity to vote will result More >
ACLU of Oklahoma to open hotline for voters
10.31.08
Press Release 10/31/08
A special hotline for Oklahomans who have any issues at their polling places this election day will be open Monday, November 3, and Tuesday, November 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. By calling 405-524-2296 on those days, voters will be put in direct contact with an American Civil Liberties Union representative to assist them.
The ACLU has the following tips for avoiding problems at the poll:
1. Check your voter registration status as soon as possible. 2. Vote before Election Day if you can. 3. Locate your polling place before Election Day. 4. Plan ahead if you need special assistance. 5. Don’t wear political attire to the polls. 6. Bring some form of identification if you have it. 7. Vote early in the day. 8. Follow all instructions. 9. Ask for help if you need it. 10. Take your time.
Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Michael Clingman said the rule about political attire is in place as a courtesy to other voters.
“We do not necessarily turn voters in political shirts away,” Clingman said. “But, they are usually asked to cover up or take their button off.”
Clingman added that all Oklahoma counties are advised similarly in regards to regulating political garb.
Again, More >
Former felon’s voting rights questioned
9.12.08
Press Release
9/12/2008
ACLU of Oklahoma to have press conference regarding inappropriate communication from county election boards
Oklahoma City – The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma will speak to the media on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. about the disenfranchisement of voting rights for former felons. The deadline to register for the presidential election is Oct. 10, making this issue even timelier.
After a felon has completed their time served and restitution, they are free to register again and vote. A large number of county election boards involved in a 2005 survey conducted by the ACLU of Oklahoma gave incorrect information about the voting rights of former felons. This misinformation ranged from having no documents discussing the voting process of these members of society, to stating that former felons never regained the right to vote.
The ACLU of Oklahoma believes a functioning democracy must be properly educated on its rights, and former felons are a part of our democracy.
The press conference will be at the ACLU of Oklahoma conference room, 3000 Paseo Drive in Oklahoma City. Please contact Katy Jones if attending.
ACLU SUES TO PROTECT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
7.3.08
The legal team prepares to file a challenge to the OCRI Ballot Initiative with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Oklahoma voters filed a protest on March 7, 2008 before the state Supreme Court challenging irregularities and questionable practices in the collection of signatures by the so-called Oklahoma Civil Rights Initiative. The initiative is one of a series of ballot measures that California businessman Ward Connerly and his organization known as the American Civil Rights Institute (ACRI) have spearheaded across the country.
“When equal opportunity and the civil rights of our residents are at stake, it is critically important that the electoral process is fair, transparent and honest,” said Chuck Thornton, Legal Director of the ACLU of Oklahoma. “We are confident that this review will confirm what has already been discovered – the signature-gathering process was riddled with errors.”
The legal challenge follows the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s certification of the ballot measure’s signatures and Monday’s publication of the signatures’ alleged sufficiency by Secretary of State M. Susan Savage. Last month, Savage noted in a letter to the court that the signature count “has resulted in an unprecedented situation where large numbers of duplicate names and addresses were discovered well into the signature counting process….[and] it More >
