Wednesday, June 13, 2012

House GOP Rams Through Voter Suppression Bills


From Michigan Democratic Party

Bills Would Make it More Difficult to Register, Disenfranchise Tens of Thousands of Voters

LANSING – The Republican-controlled Michigan House has passed a package of voter suppression bills whose sole purpose is to help elect Republicans. The bills would make it more difficult to register voters and would require photo ID for absentee voters – something tens of thousands of voters don’t have.

“These bills are part of a nationally coordinated GOP effort and are nothing more than a partisan means for Republicans to suppress voting – particularly by minority voters,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said. “Republicans have been trying to scare voters for years with the myth that voter fraud is occurring in Michigan. The truth is, the only fraud that exists is being perpetrated by Republicans.”

“Contrary to GOP rhetoric, ‘dead voters’ are not voting in Michigan and only four non-citizens statewide may have cast a ballot in February. That’s just .0003% of votes cast,” added Brewer. “Republicans are the ones committing the real fraud. House Speaker Jase Bolger and State Rep. Roy Schmidt may have conspired to put a fake Democrat on the ballot in House District 76, and Congressman Thad McCotter turned in more than 1,000 false signatures in an attempt to get on the ballot.”

“We don’t need voter suppression bills like these just passed by Republicans,” continued Brewer. “We should be doing anything and everything possible to encourage people to vote – not making it more difficult. What we do need are tougher laws that hold elected officials and their allies responsible for committing election fraud. Republicans should look at the Speaker’s Chair in the State House if they want to see who’s committing election fraud in Michigan.”

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