Voter Restriction Bills and the Legacy of Voter Suppression

The ACLU reports that over 360 voter restriction bills are being proposed by legislatures in 47 states across the country. This wave of action by GOP legislators follows in the wake of false claims by former President Trump that the 2020 election was stolen. The sponsors of the bills say the laws are about election integrity. Many experts say the laws will make it harder for people to vote.

In this episode, voters describe the will to vote, poll workers, organizers and political analysts discuss recent bills and legislation and their plans and actions to fight for voter access.
And we take a look back at some of the American historical legacy of voter suppression.

This episode is a rebroadcast of “COVID RACE AND DEMOCRACY” from the Covid Task Force at Pacifica (covidtaskforce.pacifica.org)

Featured Speakers include:

• Robert Hoffman, Deputy Director of the Democracy Division of the ACLU
• Cecil Durant, Houston Attorney and Political Analyst
• Harvey Wasserman, Author and Activist
• Joe Henry, Political Director of Iowa LULAC Chapter 307
• Ray McClendon, Chairman of Political Action at the NAACP Atlanta
• Journalist Dennis Hart, political Reporter KHOI Ames, Iowa
• Laura Belin, Blogger/Editor of Bleeding Heartland, Des Moines, Iowa
• Wren Bradley, Child care social worker with SEIU 521
• Jan Dreesman, disabled voter in Ames Iowa
• Voters and poll workers in Florida and South Carolina.

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