E-Newsletter - Ensuring Every American Can Cast Their Vote

Letter

E-Newsletter - Ensuring Every American Can Cast Their Vote

June 29, 2007

Dear Friends,

This week I joined with my colleagues in the House to unanimously pass H.R. 1281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007. This bill protects every American citizen's right to vote by making voter deception, for the first time, a crime.

In the last election we witnessed numerous examples of voter deception or intimidation. In Orange County, letters in Spanish were sent to voters stating that it was a crime for an immigrant to vote. In fact, naturalized citizens have the right to vote just as any other American citizen can.

There is nothing more fundamental to our democracy than a citizen's right to vote. Unfortunately, there are people who have stopped at nothing to try to deceive voters and keep them away from the polls. What's worse is that these practices often target and exploit vulnerable populations - such as minorities, people with disabilities, and the poor. This bill is simply designed to protect the right to vote by making voter deception a federal crime.

Sincerely,
Zoe

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