New Report Outlines Voter Suppression In 2020 Election
A new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center says Alabama did not do enough during the 2020 election to make voting easier for residents.
The report claims that Alabama added 500,000 new voters ahead of the election, but that the state saw a 4% decrease in voter turnout compared to the 2016 presidential election.
“Unfortunately, we had government-backed efforts to make it more difficult [to vote],” said Nancy Abudu, the SPLC’s deputy legal director for the voting rights division. “[We] had to sue states like Mississippi, Louisianna and Alabama who refused to lift restrictions such as that a photo ID be included in [an] absentee ballot application or the actual ballot, that refused to lift restrictions or requirements that people have a witness sign their application or that they get a notary.”
The report also claims that a refusal to allow statewide curbside voting, long lines and voter intimidation played a role in the decreased voter turnout.
Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said states like Alabama made an effort to help voters cast their ballots during the pandemic.
“But in the end, they didn’t do enough to protect the interest of voters – particularly those who sought to vote absentee because of the pandemic,” Henderson said. “Or who faced additional hurdles in their own districts dealing with access to the polls, particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and some communities of color that were denied voting sites in their local jurisdictions.”
The report also claims that a denial of statewide curbside voting, long lines and voter intimidation played a role in the decreased voter turnout.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill told WBHM that the SPLC’s report is “disingenuous.”
“I am very proud of the efforts that were made in Alabama to provide smooth, sanitary, and safe elections during 2020,” Merrill said.
Alabama witnessed record voter participation with 2,329,114 ballots cast, according to Merrill’s office. Merrill said that’s partially attributed to the state including COVID-19 as an excuse to vote absentee.
“This change allowed for record absentee participation with 305,663 absentee ballots being cast, which more than tripled the state’s previous record for absentee participation,” Merrill said.
U.K. leader’s chief of staff quits over hiring of Epstein friend as U.S. ambassador
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff resigned Sunday over the furor surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to the U.S. despite his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump administration lauds plastic surgeons’ statement on trans surgery for minors
A patient who came to regret the top surgery she got as a teen won a $2 million malpractice suit. Then, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons clarified its position that surgery is not recommended for transgender minors.
What you should know about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show
Will the Puerto Rican superstar bring out any special guests? Will there be controversy? Here's what you should know about what could be the most significant concert of the year.
Sunday Puzzle: -IUM Pandemonium
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with KPBS listener Anthony Baio and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.
Thailand counts votes in early election with 3 main parties vying for power
Vote counting was underway in Thailand's early general election on Sunday, seen as a three-way race among competing visions of progressive, populist and old-fashioned patronage politics.
US ski star Lindsey Vonn crashes in Olympic downhill race
In an explosive crash near the top of the downhill course in Cortina, Vonn landed a jump perpendicular to the slope and tumbled to a stop shortly below.
