African American Caucus of the Forsyth County Democratic Party
Jacquelyne Barber Branch
P.O. Box 1723
Winston-Salem, N. C. 27105
March 29, 2011
The North Carolina General Assembly
Re: Voter ID Bill
The African American Caucus of the Forsyth County Democratic Party Jacquelyne Barber Branch is opposed to the “Voter I.D. Bill” proposed by the N.C. Legislature.
The sponsors of this bill states its purpose is to reduce voter fraud; make sure everyone is counted; increase voter confidence in the system and will not inhibit access to the voting process. However this is the most regressive and partisan anti-voter bill since passage of a series of election laws by the state legislature that gave judges and registrars almost unlimited power to determine the qualifications and eligibility of voters. The “county law” enacted Feb 27, 1877 nullified the strength of black votes at the ballot box and culminated into the constitutional amendment of 1900 when this legislature stripped the vote from African Americans in North Carolina because of their heavy voter participation.
The African American Caucus FCDP- Jacquelyne Barber Branch is opposed to this bill for the following reasons:
This bill goes against the stated premise of the sponsors in that it will not increase voter confidence in the system and will inhibit access to the voting process. Everyone will not be counted.
This bill is a regressive measure that invokes past poll taxes of literacy and finance on targeted citizens to repress their vote through intimidation.
It is an extremely partisan bill that also invokes racism, and age discrimination as it disproportionally affects African Americans and seniors. It will also drastically affect college students and women who have changed their last names.
It will duplicate what is already in place. Identification is used to register to vote, and voter fraud is already on the books as a felony. It is also not needed because out of the 6.3 million registered voters in North Carolina there have been 21 cases sent to the District Attorneys and these cases were not due to any violations.
Last but not least, funding is to be set aside to create a North Carolina State Government Voter Identification instead of being set aside for investing in all North Carolina citizens through education and job creation.
This is what will create confidence in North Carolina, not a regressive anti-voter bill that requires a state I.D.
Submitted by the African American Caucus FCDP-Jacquelyne Barber Branch
Chenita Johnson, President
chenitajohn@hotmail.com
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