Last week I shared with you information about some of the folks that were targeted by Paxton’s’ goon squad. And if you managed to get to the end of the story, you read that Fort Worth folks may be targeted soon.
Therefore, I want to make sure that you have information as to who to contact if you have become a target. Or if you have any issues or unfair obstacles in exercising your right to vote. I invite you to see the information below and contact me if you have any questions. While I do not pretend to have all the answers, I know I can find the answers.
Having said all that I know that what Paxton and pals hope is that their actions will lead to shrinking the Latino vote. And all minority or other marginalized communities as well. This because as former Raza Unida Leader Jose Angel Gutirrez would often say“We must go from being the governed to becoming the Governors” They have seen the future as we have seen the future and “The future is us”.
Pero to get there it will take all of us and it will take organization and yes it may take getting past personal comfort zones. Some will be called to take leadership positions whether in their families or their communities. Some may even be called to run for office. And of course, some may just be called to go out and vote something that many in our community have not done. At least not consistently.
The important thing is that all this must happen now! This election has far too many negative consequences for our community if we fail to vote. We have allowed many politicians to dehumanize and demonize some in our community for far too long. We must stop this with the power of our vote, or we will lose our children’s and grandchildren’s future. And history will not judge us kindly.
We are planning a Zoom meeting, for next Wednesday to share information and discuss campaign strategy. If you would like to join us, I invite you email me at goveaalberto215@yahoo.com .
By A. Govea
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Courtesy of NPR What exactly is voter intimidation?
It can take many forms, but Morales-Doyle says voter intimidation is “any action that intimidates voters and scares them away from, or has the potential to scare them away from, exercising their constitutional right to vote.”
When people think of voter intimidation, they may think of in-person tactics, like someone standing inside or outside polling places. This type of behavior can be overtly threatening or just meant to make voters uncomfortable by being near them and talking to them, Morales-Doyle said.
“In some states, there’s a process for voters to challenge other voters’ eligibility, and if someone were doing that, they could do it in an intimidating way,” he said.
“There’s also intimidation outside of the polls. And we’ve seen, for instance, in Arizona in recent weeks, people surveilling drop boxes, videotaping. People taking pictures of their license plates.”
Voter intimidation can also take place ahead of people getting to the polls or the ballot drop box. Robocalls, mailers and flyers can also be considered voter intimidation depending on the message being sent.
But it doesn’t matter what form it takes when it comes to the law.
“The law against voter intimidation doesn’t specify specific conduct that is illegal. It specifies that intimidating voters is illegal,” Morales-Doyle said. “And so really, whatever form it might take, if the result is that a person feels uncomfortable exercising their right to vote, then it violates the law against voter intimidation.”
What are the protections?
There are many laws that protect against voter intimidation. At the federal level, there’s the Voting Rights Act, and others that go back to 1871.
Each of the federal laws act in slightly different ways from one another, Morales-Doyle said, but they all make clear that voter intimidation is a crime. Voter intimidation can result in civil lawsuits and also be prosecuted by the Department of Justice.
States also have their own laws. Some of the state rules are about how elections are conducted and end up helping protect against the possibility of intimidation, Morales-Doyle said.
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What’s different from 2020?
While voter intimidation is always illegal and a concern during election season, there are some differences in 2022 from the presidential election in 2020. A lot of the differences stem from the disinformation and false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, Morales-Doyle said.
“Now there are people who are actively organizing on the basis of those lies to try to turn people out, to engage in conduct that is either intimidating or runs the risk of becoming intimidating,” Morales-Doyle said.
There are also concerns about political violence around the midterm elections, especially after the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks in 2021.
While concerns are real, most people will have a good voting experience
Morales-Doyle said he expects the vast majority of voters will not experience intimidation but will have a normal, and hopefully pleasant, time voting.
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“I want to be careful to say that I think there’s reason to be concerned that we might see more of this bad behavior in 2022 than in the past, and there’s reason to think that it might look a little different than it has in the past,” he said. “But by and large, it’s not going to impact the voting experiences of most people, and that people should go vote with confidence.”
If you experience intimidation, there are actions you can take, both at your polling place and elsewhere. You can report intimidation to the poll workers and election officials where you’re voting, and you can call the national election protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE or 866-687-8683.