On Monday, June 22nd, people from across the state gathered in Raleigh (in the sweltering heat) for the “Protect Our Vote” Rally in Halifax mall organized by Common Cause NC. Thank you to all who joined us there! This rally was in response to the wave and election suppression tactics and legislation happening throughout the state in the lead up to the mid-term elections.
Rev. Lisa Garcia Sampson spoke at the rally about the role of faith in our state’s pro-democracy movement. Standing in front of the state’s General Assembly, she said,
“This year, our religious communities are organized and ready to join with others in combating voter intimidation at the polls, volunteering with our state’s 888-OUR-VOTE hotline, serving as county board of election monitors and doing whatever else these incredible partners ask us to do. Because enough is enough. This is our time, THAT is our house. And that the story of North Carolina is not what they say it is. It’s what WE make it.”
“NC lawmakers are pushing forward a massive election law “omnibus” bill that combines a variety of changes to voting access and election administration in one not so pretty package. This kind of complex, convoluted, wide-ranging legislation often creates confusion, undermines trust in the process, and ultimately makes it harder for North Carolinians to cast their ballots and have their voices heard.
House Bill 958 (Election Law Changes) is a weighty, complex bill that proposes a vast swath of changes to how elections are run in our state, including:
- Radically Politicizes the State Board of Elections. HB 958 provides 7 exempt positions to the State Board of Elections, allowing the Executive Director to replace civil servants with potentially partisan appointees that match the individual’s political leanings. Also restricts State Board and county board members from making public statements that support a party or encourage turnout in elections.
- Changes Photo ID Requirements for Military/Overseas Voters, narrowing who qualifies as a covered overseas voter (“never residents”) and what type of ID overseas voters must provide, and adding ID documentation requirements for overseas voters proving their last North Carolina residence in submitting absentee ballots
- Allows for voter challenges 5 days after the election if a candidate isn’t happy with the election’s outcome, creating a recipe for election sabotage
- Prohibits Rank Choice Voting. This prohibition undermines efforts to implement more representative electoral systems, which have been proven to be highly effective and popular in races across the country.
- Requires the North Carolina DMV to share FULL social security numbers with the State Board for registered voters. Currently voters need to only include the last four digits of their SSN OR their NC Driver’s License or DMV ID number.” Democracy NC
*** Tell lawmakers to reject this harmful mega elections using Democracy NC’s easy tool.
