It’s National Black Voter Day, John!
Our democracy is strongest when everyone has a voice in it, regardless of race. Unfortunately, we know that voter ID laws make it harder, more confusing, and more expensive to cast a ballot in America – especially for Black voters. Did you know? - Our recent voter ID research found that citizens of color were 3.7 times more likely than white adult citizens to lack a current photo ID.
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The research also revealed that only about 70% of Black 18–29-year-olds have a driver’s license and only half of that 70% have a driver’s license with their current name and address.
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In Georgia, students from a public college or university can use their student ID to vote. But if you attend one of the state’s many HBCUs which are private colleges, that student ID is not accepted at the polls.
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In North Carolina, the state Supreme Court just last year reinstated a voter ID that had previously been found to be unconstitutional because of its racially discriminatory impact.
This National Black Voter Day and all year long, VoteRiders is working in Black communities, at historically Black colleges and universities, and with Black voters one-on-one to help them overcome the barriers to the ballot box created by voter ID laws.
Our democracy is strongest when all voices are heard. Be sure to share our voter ID resources with the voters in your life. Registering to vote is just the first step. It’s critical voters do an ID check now, to understand the rules where they live and have the time to secure an accepted form of ID if they need one.
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