AltWeeklies Wire
Voter Rights Wins and Setbacksnew

Three judges, the U.S. Department of Justice and a federal court struck down voter laws in Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Ohio in the last month.
Jackson Free Press |
Ronni Mott |
09-07-2012 |
Elections
Tags: Voting Rights, Voter Suppression
Virginia Organizing Project Fights for Ex-Con Voting Rightsnew
A recent speeding ticket set back Harold Folley's efforts to regain his voting rights, 15 years after he was released from prison. He's trying to help other ex-cons navigate Virginia's byzantine restoration process.
C-Ville Weekly |
Chiara Canzi |
01-14-2009 |
Politics
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Early Votenew
To avoid what might be the longest lines in recorded history, my wife and I trekked to the polls on Tuesday after dropping the kids at school. Yet I remained fearful that some literature-laden politician or worse, a community organizer, might engage in electioneering and violate my ballot security.
Dallas Observer |
Mark Donald |
11-03-2008 |
Commentary
Suppressing Minority Votes -- Legallynew
The main ploys the GOP will use to damp down minority votes on Nov. 4 have drawn virtually no media attention. They include letter-writing challenges, residence and citizenship challenges of non-native born Latino voters, and reliance on a provision in the Help America Vote Act on provisional ballots. Worst of all, these tactics are all perfectly legal.
Jackson Free Press |
Earl Ofari Hutchinson |
10-31-2008 |
Commentary
Election '08: The Can't Votersnew
Millions of people who will be greatly affected by the outcome of next week's election, but won't be able to cast a vote in it. And yet, some of these same people -- those who don't meet citizenship requirements, the incarcerated and the underaged -- are more invested in the political process than many eligible Americans.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Tom Namako |
10-30-2008 |
Politics
Maybe Voting at the Mall isn't Such a Great Ideanew
Confusion surrounding mall voting rules has allegedly prompted at least one election worker to enforce policies that contradict election law. Outcry over the policy prompted picketing and a boycott effort by critics who say it violates the First Amendment.
What If the Election Doesn't End on Tuesday?new

The GOP fuss over the ACORN isn't just a way to whip up the conservative base. It's a possible prelude to post-election litigation aimed at reversing an Obama victory.
Boston Phoenix |
Adam Reilly |
10-30-2008 |
Commentary
The Election's Already in the Bag: It's McCain, Stupid!new
I think the election is over. Signed, sealed, and delivered. With all due respect to Malcolm, McCain will take the presidency by all means necessary. There's just too much money to be made from war to give it all up just for the sake of "democracy." Of course, I might be wrong, and it’ll be the sweetest mistake of my life.
San Antonio Current |
Enrique Lopetegui |
10-30-2008 |
Commentary
Near-Misses and Mistakes Highlight Election Pressures in Coloradonew
With election day looming, troubling news keeps emanating from the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Office.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Anthony Lane |
10-28-2008 |
Politics
Will the Election Be Fair in Wisconsin?new
Wisconsin voters are expected to turn out in unprecedented numbers for the Nov. 4 election. And that has created some concern about the integrity of such a high-stakes election in a state that has had razor-thin winning margins in recent presidential elections.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
10-24-2008 |
Politics
Advocates Question New Mexico's Election-Night Processnew
The enormous interest generated by the 2008 presidential election, along with past discrepancies at the polls and New Mexico's status as a battleground state, has voter-rights advocates paying particular attention to how New Mexicans' votes will be counted on election night.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Mark Sanders |
10-23-2008 |
Politics
Election '08: Your Right to Votenew
Truth, lies and conspiracy theories -- what you need to know before you cast your ballot.
Boulder Weekly |
Pamela White |
10-20-2008 |
Politics
Professor Donald Saari Talks About Election Mathnew

According to Saari, the most nefarious form of voter disenfranchisement is the very system we use to make our choices: plurality voting. He recently discussed the ideas in his book, Chaotic Elections! A Mathematician Looks at Voting, and proposed what he says is a better system.
Is the GOP Trying to Keep New Voters from the Polls?new

In the midst of a crush of new voter applicants, there's a new issue that progressives fear the GOP could use to disenfranchise voters across Florida: the Republican secretary of state's recent decision to enforce the state's three-year-old "no match, no vote" law.
Orlando Weekly |
Deanna Morey |
10-07-2008 |
Civil Liberties
Every Vote (Kind of) Counts in King County, Washingtonnew
If the number of disqualified ballots in the August primary is any indication, King County is in for a repeat of its 2004 recount crisis.
Seattle Weekly |
Rick Anderson |
10-06-2008 |
Politics