Friday, March 30, 2012

So you think you have the right to vote?

Think again. Voter suppression laws -- masquerading as "voter ID" -- are spreading like chicken pox throughout the states.

We found this terrific infographic from Craig Newmark, who founded Craig's List. It shows:
  • There were 164 bills introduced in states that would restrict voting in the 2012 election.
  • 21 new voter suppression laws and two executive actions were passed to suppress voting since the beginning of 2011.
  • 5 million eligible voters may find it too hard to cast a ballot in the 2012 election because of these new laws.
  • 4 states passed laws restricting the kind of ID that can be used to identify yourself at the ballot box, with 5 more pending.
  • 18 percent of people over 65 don't have that kind of ID.
  • More than 20 million voters don't have the kind of ID needed in states where these new laws were passed.
  • 2 states passed laws outlawing voter registration drives.
There's way more. We realize the infographic is impossible to read. We just put it there to tantalize you and direct you here for the larger, readable version. And hat tip to Talking Points Memo for bringing this to our attention.