Voter Suppression: It's Not a Democratic Talking Point

How Republicans Have Made it Harder for YOU to Vote

“Same day voting and paper ballots only!”

This has been a common Republican refrain since the 2020 presidential election. The claims that the election was stolen from Donald Trump, the result of massive voter fraud, have been thoroughly disproven. Yet, Republicans are doubling down, with continued calls for a return to the antiquated form of voting that takes place only in person and only using paper ballots. Is it because Republican’s genuinely believe mail-in ballots and voting machines are significantly prone to fraud, or is there a more nefarious motivation behind their demands for same day voting and traditional paper ballots? 

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “Over the last 20 years, states have put barriers in front of the ballot box — imposing strict voter ID laws, cutting voting times, restricting registration, and purging voter rolls.” Even worse, widespread poll closures (despite increased turnout) have made it even harder for voters in states like Texas, Arizona, and Georgia, to cast their vote. In March of 2020, a study found that Texas had closed over 750 polling places statewide since 2012. It also found that these closures most greatly impacted people of color, and those living in urban areas that lean heavily Democratic.  

According to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, 39 percent of the Texas population is Latino and 12 percent is African American. “With 74 closures, Dallas County, which is 41 percent Latino and 22 percent African American, is the second largest closer of polling places, followed by Travis County, which is 34 percent Latino, (–67). Harris County, which is 42 percent Latino and 19 percent African American, (–52) and Brazoria County, which is 13 percent African American and 30 percent Latino (–37) tied with Nueces County, which is 63 percent Latino (–37).” 

If making it harder to vote by restricting access was not bad enough, some states have even gone as far as to prevent people from voting altogether. Purging voter rolls has been a favorite method of voter suppression going back decades. According to Thom Hartmann, in 2000, “George and Jeb Bush, the governors of Texas and Florida, used the Texas felon list to purge mostly Black and Hispanic people from the Florida voter rolls. Jeb knocked 90,000 African Americans off the rolls.” In 2012, the Justice Department filed a court paper claiming that Florida Governor, Rick Scott’s voter purge was in violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In fact, most of those removed by Scott were found to be legal citizens, targeted simply because they were minorities.

Former Republican Party Chairperson in Florida, Jim Greer, filed a lawsuit against his Party revealing that Republican’s in the great state of Florida actively discussed ways to reduce early voting and erect roadblocks for voters of color. "There's no doubt that what the Republican-led legislature in Florida and Governor Scott are trying to do is make sure that the Republican Party has an advantage in this upcoming election by reducing early voting, putting roadblocks up for potential voters, Latinos, African Americans—to register and then to exercise their right to vote. There is no doubt. I was in the room. It's part of the strategy." 

Finally, during the 2020 election cycle, while COVID-19 was killing thousands of Americans by the day, and sickening thousands more, then President, Donald Trump was telling his supporters they should only vote in person. Meanwhile, Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy conspired to dismantled over 700 high-speed mail sorting machines, in an effort to prevent ballots from arriving on time for counting. Their sinister attempt to suppress mail-in ballots coincidentally hit swing states the hardest. 

The Republican’s insistence on same-day voting and paper ballots, and their nefarious attempts to suppress the voting rights of millions of Americans serve one goal: VICTORY. The data is clear, and Republicans know it. When voter turn-out is high, Democrats win.

While both the Republican and Democratic Parties have yet to officially nominate their candidates, in just hours, President Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in what will be the earliest presidential debate in the history of our country. If you plan to watch, pay attention to what each candidate says, and how each intends to win your vote. Will it be through the expression or the suppression of your rights? 

Did you miss last week’s stack? Read it “It’s the Economy.”

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