The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section of the Boston Bar Association and the Boston Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society

Present a Panel Discussion on

“Voter Integrity or Suppression:The Effect of the New Voting Laws in 2012

and Beyond”

Monday, April 29, 2013 - Boston Bar Association

Panelists:David Sullivan Justin Levitt

Charles Stewart

Moderator:Robert Whitney

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Experiences in Voter Protection Efforts: The View

from The Trenches

David E. Sullivan

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Line outside polling station, Miami, Florida Associated Press

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Line outside polling station, Aventura, Florida Daily Kos

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Lines outside polling station, West Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach Post

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Line outside polling station, Columbus, Ohio @finneganlatimes

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Line outside polling station, Cleveland, Ohio @ariberman

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Voting Laws, 2012 and BeyondProfessor Justin Levitt

Loyola Law School – Los Angeles

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Restrictions in 2011-2012• Felony disenfranchisement FL, IA

• Voter registration drives FL, TX

• Other registration restrictions AL, KS, MI, NH, TN

• Same-day registration ME, MN, OH

• Broad purges CO, FL, IA, TN, TX

• More restrictive ID AL, KS, MS, NH, PA,

RI, SC, TN, TX, WI

• Early/absentee voting limits CO, FL, GA, OH, TN, WV

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Restrictions in 2011-2012• Felony disenfranchisement FL, IA

• Voter registration drives FL, TX

• Other registration restrictions AL, KS, MI, NH, TN

• Same-day registration ME, MN, OH

• Broad purges CO, FL, IA, TN, TX

• More restrictive ID AL, KS, MS, NH, PA,

RI, SC, TN, TX, WI

• Early/absentee voting limits CO, FL, GA, OH, TN, WV

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The Perfect Storm

Robert King / Newsmakers

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2000• Voting technology• Voter information• Recount• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots

2012• Voting technology• Voter information

• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design / length• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots• Voter ID• Resource allocation• Challenges• Provisional ballots

• Recount

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• Voting technology• Voter information• Recount• Deadlines• Registration problems• Voter purges• Lines• Ballot design (butterfly)• Absentee ballots• Military/overseas ballots

• 16 different lawsuits after election day, in Florida alone

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Law on the books, law on the ground

J.D. Pooley / Getty Images

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Barriers to Voting in 2012:What the Public Saw

Professor Charles Stewart IIIMIT

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Three Surveys

• Survey of the Performance of American Elections– 10,200 registered voters on “Election Day”

(200/state + DC)• Cooperative Congressional Election Study

(CCES)– 54,500 adults nationwide

• MIT/Reed College module of the CCES– 2,000 adults nationwide

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VOTER ID

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Voter ID Is Popular2008 2012

All respondents 76% 72%

Democrats 65% 54%African Americans 77% 61%Liberals 58% 42%

Republicans 90% 88%Whites 76% 73%Conservatives 90% 91%

Question: [Do you support requiring] all people to show government issued photo ID when they vote?

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Voter ID Is Popular

2012All respondents 72%

Voting in a privilege (32%) 84%50/50 (11%) 77%Voting is a right (57%) 65%

Question: [Do you support requiring] all people to show government issued photo ID when they vote?

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Racial Disparities Are Real

Any D.L. Valid D.L. Any Passport Valid Passport

White 93% 84% 41% 35%

Black 79% 63% 28% 25%

Hispanic 90% 73% 49% 42%

White – Black 14 19 12 11

White – Hispanic 4 11 -8 -7

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Pollworker Discretion Is an Issue

Strict photo Non-strict photo Non-photo ID No IDAll 65% 60% 36% 16%

White 64% 59% 36% 13%Black 67% 63% 40% 22%Hispanic --- 79% 30% 31%

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WAITING TO VOTE

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Most People Don’t Wait a Long Time

2008 2012Not at all 38% 37%Less than 10 minutes 27% 31%10-30 minutes 19% 20%31-60 minutes 11% 9%More than one hour 6% 3%Average (min.) 15.7 13.1

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The Problem Is Focused on a Few States

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ote

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It’s the Same States as 2008

1 102.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.07.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

2008

1

10

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.08.09.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

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2012

VT

AKSD

WYMENE DE

IA NJMN NMHICTCAMA MSNVKYID WI CO AZPA

ALND OHUTNHRI KS MOWVMT TXILNY INARNCTN

LA GAOKMI

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MDFL

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The Four Factors

• Race• Early voting• Urban/rural• (South)eastern seaboard

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The Four Factors:I: Race

White 11.6Black 23.3Hispanic 18.7Asian Amer. 15.4Native Amer. 13.3Mixed 13.6Other 13.3

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The Four Factors:II & III: Early Voting & Rural/Urban

Pop. density Election Day Early Total1st quartile

(1-75)5.9 4.9 5.7

2nd quartile(75-570)

9.5 11.5 9.9

3rd quartile(570-2739)

12.7 12.5 14.9

4th quartile(2739-34000)

16.0 24.3 17.7

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The Four Factors:IV: (South)eastern Seaboard