Pocan Statement on Supreme Court Decision Upholding Ohio’s Right to Purge Voters from Rolls
"The Supreme Court just empowered Republican-led states across the country to kick voters off the voting rolls..."
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) today released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, which would allow Ohio to continue aggressively removing people from the state’s voting rolls.
“The Supreme Court just empowered Republican-led states across the country to kick voters off the voting rolls, stifling democracy and creating an unnecessary burden for voters who find that they have been mistakenly and unfairly removed from the rolls,” said Pocan. “Today’s decision ensures that more voters – especially those that are young, minority, and low-income – will be turned away from the polls and not have their voices heard.”
“Congress should immediately consider the Voter Roll Integrity Act, legislation I introduced that would end interstate cross-check and ensure that that states must take additional steps before removing someone from the voter rolls,” continued Pocan. “Governor Walker and Republicans in countless other states continue to commit various forms of voter suppression, all under the guise of eliminating voter fraud. However, we as elected officials have a responsibility to do everything we can to empower voters.”
Last year, Pocan introduced the Voter Roll Integrity Act, legislation that would strengthen voter protections by ensuring that states can no longer erroneously purge voter rolls without the knowledge or consent of active and still-eligible voters. Specifically, the bill would ensure that states can only remove voters from their rolls based on comprehensive data that unmistakably demonstrates that the voter has indeed moved, and only after confirming with the person at risk of unfair removal.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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