experiences in voter p rotection efforts: the view from the trenches david e. sullivan
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The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section of the Boston Bar Association and the Boston Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society Present a Panel Discussion on “ Voter Integrity or Suppression: The Effect of the New Voting Laws in 2012 and Beyond ” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section of the Boston Bar Association and the Boston Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society
Present a Panel Discussion on
“Voter Integrity or Suppression:The Effect of the New Voting Laws in 2012
and Beyond”
Monday, April 29, 2013 - Boston Bar Association
Panelists:David Sullivan Justin Levitt
Charles Stewart
Moderator:Robert Whitney
2
Experiences in Voter Protection Efforts: The View
from The Trenches
David E. Sullivan
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Line outside polling station, Miami, Florida Associated Press
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Line outside polling station, Aventura, Florida Daily Kos
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Lines outside polling station, West Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach Post
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Line outside polling station, Columbus, Ohio @finneganlatimes
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Line outside polling station, Cleveland, Ohio @ariberman
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Voting Laws, 2012 and BeyondProfessor Justin Levitt
Loyola Law School – Los Angeles
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Restrictions in 2011-2012• Felony disenfranchisement FL, IA
• Voter registration drives FL, TX
• Other registration restrictions AL, KS, MI, NH, TN
• Same-day registration ME, MN, OH
• Broad purges CO, FL, IA, TN, TX
• More restrictive ID AL, KS, MS, NH, PA,
RI, SC, TN, TX, WI
• Early/absentee voting limits CO, FL, GA, OH, TN, WV
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Restrictions in 2011-2012• Felony disenfranchisement FL, IA
• Voter registration drives FL, TX
• Other registration restrictions AL, KS, MI, NH, TN
• Same-day registration ME, MN, OH
• Broad purges CO, FL, IA, TN, TX
• More restrictive ID AL, KS, MS, NH, PA,
RI, SC, TN, TX, WI
• Early/absentee voting limits CO, FL, GA, OH, TN, WV
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The Perfect Storm
Robert King / Newsmakers
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2000• Voting technology• Voter information• Recount• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots
2012• Voting technology• Voter information
• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design / length• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots• Voter ID• Resource allocation• Challenges• Provisional ballots
• Recount
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• Voting technology• Voter information• Recount• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design (butterfly)• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots
• 16 different lawsuits after election day, in Florida alone
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Law on the books, law on the ground
J.D. Pooley / Getty Images
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Barriers to Voting in 2012:What the Public Saw
Professor Charles Stewart IIIMIT
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Three Surveys
• Survey of the Performance of American Elections– 10,200 registered voters on “Election Day”
(200/state + DC)• Cooperative Congressional Election Study
(CCES)– 54,500 adults nationwide
• MIT/Reed College module of the CCES– 2,000 adults nationwide
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VOTER ID
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Voter ID Is Popular2008 2012
All respondents 76% 72%
Democrats 65% 54%African Americans 77% 61%Liberals 58% 42%
Republicans 90% 88%Whites 76% 73%Conservatives 90% 91%
Question: [Do you support requiring] all people to show government issued photo ID when they vote?
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Voter ID Is Popular
2012All respondents 72%
Voting in a privilege (32%) 84%50/50 (11%) 77%Voting is a right (57%) 65%
Question: [Do you support requiring] all people to show government issued photo ID when they vote?
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Racial Disparities Are Real
Any D.L. Valid D.L. Any Passport Valid Passport
White 93% 84% 41% 35%
Black 79% 63% 28% 25%
Hispanic 90% 73% 49% 42%
White – Black 14 19 12 11
White – Hispanic 4 11 -8 -7
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Pollworker Discretion Is an Issue
Strict photo Non-strict photo Non-photo ID No IDAll 65% 60% 36% 16%
White 64% 59% 36% 13%Black 67% 63% 40% 22%Hispanic --- 79% 30% 31%
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WAITING TO VOTE
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Most People Don’t Wait a Long Time
2008 2012Not at all 38% 37%Less than 10 minutes 27% 31%10-30 minutes 19% 20%31-60 minutes 11% 9%More than one hour 6% 3%Average (min.) 15.7 13.1
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The Problem Is Focused on a Few States
VTAKSDWYMENEDEIANJMNNMHICTCAMAMSNVKYIDWICOAZPAALNDOHUTNHRIKSMOWVMTTXILNYINARNCTNLAGAOKMISCVAMDDCFL
order
0
10
20
30
40
Avg
. min
utes
wai
ting
to v
ote
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It’s the Same States as 2008
1 102.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.07.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0
2008
1
10
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.08.09.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
2012
VT
AKSD
WYMENE DE
IA NJMN NMHICTCAMA MSNVKYID WI CO AZPA
ALND OHUTNHRI KS MOWVMT TXILNY INARNCTN
LA GAOKMI
SCVA
MDFL
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The Four Factors
• Race• Early voting• Urban/rural• (South)eastern seaboard
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The Four Factors:I: Race
White 11.6Black 23.3Hispanic 18.7Asian Amer. 15.4Native Amer. 13.3Mixed 13.6Other 13.3
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The Four Factors:II & III: Early Voting & Rural/Urban
Pop. density Election Day Early Total1st quartile
(1-75)5.9 4.9 5.7
2nd quartile(75-570)
9.5 11.5 9.9
3rd quartile(570-2739)
12.7 12.5 14.9
4th quartile(2739-34000)
16.0 24.3 17.7
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The Four Factors:IV: (South)eastern Seaboard