Democrats fear inconsistent new law will discourage Black voters

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Current News - Homefront Preparations : One Thread

By AMOS BROWN III Recorder Correspondent

When voting this Tuesday, Indianapolis and Marion County ’s estimated 110,000 African-American voters are being warned to be especially alert for attempts by rogue Republican polling place workers to deny African Americans their legal and legitimate right to vote.

At issue is a new conflicting state law which asks voters to “voluntarily” provide a “voter identification number.” According to new state election regulations, poll workers must “ask” persons at the polling place for a “voter identification number.” However voters are NOT required to provide the information. This number is designed to help state and county election officials clean up the thousands of duplicate names in the state’s voter rolls.

However, Democratic officials in Indianapolis/Marion County fear the new conflicting regulations will lead to blatant voter intimidation.

For the benefit of Indianapolis Recorder readers, here is the exact text of the instructions for poll workers as contained in the 2002 Indiana Election Day Handbook, published by the Indiana Election Division of Republican Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy’s office.

“There is a new requirement under state law that a voter shall be asked to provide the voter’s ‘voter identification number.’ This number is the voter’s driver’s license number, the voter’s state identification number or, if the voter does not have a driver’s license or state identification number, the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. The poll clerks shall: (1) ask the voter to provide the identification number; (2) tell the voter the number the voter may use as a voter identification number; and (3) explain to the voter that the voter is not required to provide a voter identification number at the polls in order to vote.”

The important distinction is that poll workers must, under state regulations, “explain to the voter that the voter is not required to provide a voter identification number at the polls in order to vote.”

Democratic officials are concerned that in some precincts, particularly Black Center Township precincts, Republican inspectors, sheriffs and poll clerks will “selectively” enforce these new rules.

“In the primary we received phone calls from inner city precincts where Republican workers were challenging people’s right to vote,” Ed Treacy, chair of the Marion County Democratic Party told The Recorder.

Marion County Clerk Sarah Taylor, a Republican, feels that Treacy and Democratic officials needn’t worry. In a live interview Monday on WDNI/Channel 65’s Amos Brown Show, Taylor said “The law is clear that voters don’t have to provide a voter ID number in order to vote.”

Responding to Democratic concerns that poll workers won’t be properly trained, Taylor said there will be numerous training sessions for polling place clerks, sheriffs and inspectors in the days leading up to Tuesday’s election.

Treacy remains skeptical. “It’s typical of the old history of the Republican Party,” he said, “to intimidate Black voters.”

According to Treacy, during the rule of the local GOP by the late Keith Bulen in the 1960s and 1970s, Republicans created a campaign of voter intimidation that was so successful; the GOP copied it in other states.

“Republicans would place lawyer-types in front of precincts,” said Treacy. “There would be police cars on the block. If voters looked suspicious their right to vote would be challenged.”

But in her television interview, County Clerk Taylor insisted that police and sheriffs, who volunteer to work the polls, must park their cars away from the polling place, not wear their uniforms and their badges and weapons must not be in evidence.

“The only time uniformed law enforcement officers come into a polling place,” said Taylor “is if someone calls 911.”

Democratic County Chair Treacy says there’s never been evidence of voter corruption in Black precincts. While admitting that Republicans haven’t had an organized voter intimidation effort in some years, Treacy said, “I’m concerned that there could be selective enforcement on Nov. 5 by Republicans in precincts and in neighborhoods, Black neighborhoods, where they’re outsiders, I’m concerned the hassle over voter ID numbers will slow down the lines of people waiting to vote. Voters may get frustrated and leave, without exercising their right to vote.”

County Clerk Taylor wants voters to understand that even if they have moved they could still vote Tuesday. Taylor explained that voters who’ve moved in the past month within their same precinct can still vote. The clerk also explained that persons who have moved within the old 10th Congressional District since the November 2000 election, can vote at their old polling place, without penalty.

“If people have questions they should call the ( Marion County ) Election Board at 327-5100,” Taylor told the television audience.

Treacy wants to make sure that the election laws are followed this Tuesday. “I’ll be sending letters to the U.S. Attorney, to Mayor Peterson, the Mayor of Lawrence and the Chief of the Lawrence Police and IPD to make sure that the election laws are enforced.”

Most of all Treacy wants voters to know that “they will be asked for a voter ID number and that you have the right not to provide one. And most important, you must be allowed to vote, even if you don’t provide a voter ID number.”

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2002


Moderation questions? read the FAQ