Last year, Progress Florida along with progressive allies around the state helped stop Gov. Scott’s flawed and unnecessary voter purge in many Florida counties. Now that Scott is reviving his purge campaign, we’ll need your help to continue this critical fight into 2014.
As the 2014 elections approach, Floridians will need to be on guard regarding their voting rights. After the Supreme Court’s terrible decision to gut the Voting Rights Act, Gov. Scott’s administration has announced they’ll resume their heavily flawed (and unnecessary) voter purge.
Last year, Progress Florida along with progressive allies around the state helped stop Scott’s purge in many Florida counties. We’ll need your help to continue this critical fight into 2014. Check out the message we sent out this morning:
Friend,
With the ink barely dry on the U.S. Supreme Court’s awful ruling to gut the Voting Rights Act, Gov. Scott has announced he plans to resume his recklessly partisan, undemocratic voter purge. Our fight to protect the voting rights of every Floridian has become more important than ever.
We know what this is – Gov. Scott is getting desperate as poll numbers paint a dire picture of his reelection1. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court just made it easier for Scott to make it harder for some Floridians to vote. However,Progress Florida and our allies have a strong track record in fighting back against attacks on voting rights.
Last year, Gov. Scott’s administration began purging alleged “non-citizens” from the voter rolls without seeking the Justice Department’s approval. Not only did Scott’s administration likely violate the Voting Rights Act at the time, but it was quickly revealed that the data used to purge the rolls was severely flawed. Bill Internicola, a 91-year-old World War II veteran, was one of many legitimate voters caught up in Gov. Scott’s flawed voter purge2. The purge list mostly targeted minority voters with 58% of the list being Hispanic voters3.
Progress Florida and our allies successfully stopped Rick Scott’s 2012 Voter Purge in most counties, but with the main legal barrier to many attacks on voting rights now stripped away, we need to do everything we can to ensure ALL Floridians can freely and fairly exercise their right to vote in the fast approaching elections.
Help us protect every Floridian’s right to vote with a $25.00 contribution today.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned since Gov. Scott took office, it’s that our voting rights are always under threat. Thanks for all your help in protecting Florida’s democracy.
For progress,
Mark and the Progress Florida team
—
1“Poll: Scott ‘in big trouble'” Tampa Tribune, 7/16/13.
2“World War II Vet Caught Up In Florida’s Voter Purge Controversy” NPR, 5/31/12.
3“DOJ to Florida: Stop noncitizen voter purge. Will FL fight DOJ?” Miami Herald, 5/31/12.