| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today introduced the Provisional
Voting Rights Act of 2001. The legislation would ensure that voters
are not turned away at the polling place because their names do not appear
on the list of registered voters. Representative John Conyers, ranking
Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, is a cosponsor of the
bill
“This
past election taught us a very important lesson: voters were penalized
for no fault of their own. Because of bureaucratic errors,
omissions, and even discrimination, countless voters were turned away from
the polling place and denied their constitutional right to vote.
We must demand accountability, answers and action from elected officials,”
said Schakowsky, who is one of eight co-chairs of the Democratic Caucus
Special Committee on Election Reform.
She
added, “This bill would ensure a measure of fairness in our voting
process by allowing provisional voting. What happened in Florida
this past election should not be repeated and no citizen should have to
endure the humiliation that thousands endured on November 7, 2000.”
The
Provisional Voting Rights Act of 2001 would expand the provisional voting
measure in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 or Motor Voter law.
This bill:
-
permits
individuals whose names do not appear on a voting registration list to
vote after affirming their right to vote;
-
calls
for provisional votes to be transferred immediately for verification; and
-
requires
that provisional votes be counted unless the state can prove that those
voters should not be allowed to cast their votes.
Schakowsky
also hailed other legislation introduced today by Representative Conyers.
The Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 addresses concerns raised
during last year’s election, including voter records, accessibility, and
equal opportunity at the voting place. In addition, it would create
a twelve-member bipartisan commission to examine election issues and would
award grants to states to meet national requirements and purchase equipment,
educate voters, and train officials. The bill has been introduced in the
Senate by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and is supported by civil rights and
labor groups including NAACP, AFL-CIO and La Raza.
An
original cosponsor of the Conyers bill, Schakowsky said, “The struggle
to achieve true justice and equality continues in 2001 and our nation is
ready for the Voting Rights Act of the new millennium. I will proudly join
and lend my efforts to this worthy cause.” |
