The League of Young Voters

This last week Maine residents began an all out war in their state to prevent a new Voter ID bill and stop the Governor's attempts at changing a 34 year old law giving voters the right to register to vote on Election Day. The result has been efforts to mobilize Maine residents to stand up to elected officials who are playing politics with their Constitutional right to vote.

Following Thursday's press conference of a nonpartisan coalition announcing a people's veto of LD 1376, Maine GOP Chair Charlie Webster waged new false accusations against the Maine Democratic Party. Last week, Webster was in the news for claiming Democrats 'steal elections.' Today, he alleged that every attorney general and secretary of state in Maine for the past 30 years have been accomplices.

Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Grant released this statement:

"This is ridiculous. The Republicans are making a mockery of our political system. First it was the Maine Democratic Party busing people in to 'steal elections.' Now he says it's us and every attorney general and secretary of state in the past 30 years. What next? Is he going to claim that aliens are in on it too?

"This issue is about Maine people and our democratic right to vote. So far, we've seen no real evidence of why taking away Election Day voter registration is a good thing and plenty of why it's a bad thing. Let's stop the fear mongering and lies and talk about the facts."

Seventeen organizations have joined the coalition so far, along with hundreds of individuals who are committed to protecting voter rights.

"Voting is fundamental to democracy," said Barbara McDade, President of the League of Women Voters of Maine in a press release. "Government works best when it represents all people. We should work to find ways to expand voter participation, not reduce it. This bad legislation is unnecessary and will mean eligible voters are turned away on Election Day."

A petition to begin the process was filed on Tuesday, June 21, the same day that Governor Paul LePage signed the bill.

Along with the petition, organizers submitted the following suggested wording of the question to the Office of the Secretary of State: "Do you want to reject the new law that prevents voters from registering to vote on Election Day?"

To place the People’s Veto on the ballot, the coalition will need to collect more than 57,000 signatures in the 90 days after the Maine Legislature adjourns.

"Election day registration is part of Maine’s vibrant democratic tradition." said Charlotte Warren, Associate Director of the Maine Women’s Lobby. "Why make it harder for these folks to register and vote now? What’s the purpose? While our Country is 235 years old, and our great state of Maine is 191 years old, women have only possessed the right the vote for 91 years. That’s why Maine women take voting rights seriously."

Across the country conservative activists have been working tirelessly in state legislatures to try to place additional barriers to voting access.

New Hampshire's new Republican Speaker of the House went so far to say that young people can't be trusted to vote because they won't vote along with him in efforts to justify why voting rights should be taken away from young voters.

"Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do," he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."

(turn your audio up to hear)

Legislation is pending in states that barely voted for President Barack Obama or large states that are critical for electoral vote in the last election including North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida,

"Young people have been at the forefront of expanding the right to vote in this country for over 200 years" said Nicola M. Wells of the Maine League of Young Voters. "By repealing same day registration, Governor LePage shows disregard for that tradition- squarely endorsing a program of voter disenfranchisement. Young people care about voting. Our frequent moves and multiple jobs can make it difficult to ensure we are registered in the right district by the right date. We are committed to continuing Maine's tradition of helping more people exercise their right to vote on election day, and we're proud to be a part of this People's Veto effort. To join us in signature collection, visit maine.theleague.com/veto2011"

If you're in Maine - join the fight in protecting your right to vote.

I've got about 7 posts in my queue for Future Majority and MyDD, and not nearly enough time to finish writing them all. Sometimes I struggle to keep putting out good content, sometimes it backs up. Here's a few items in brief that I would love to mention more fully, but probably won't have the time to get to.

• Second Life shmecond life . . . Zack Exley has got a write up on the most kick-ass online/virtual advocacy action I've heard of yet. Unionizing World of Warcraft at (Virtual) Sword-Point.
• Opportunity Maine, a bill to help make college more affordable for Maine residents, passed the state house this week. The bill is the brain-child of the Opportunity Maine coalition, who both wrote the bill and organized for its passage. The coalition includes our friends at the League of Young Voters. I may write more about this later.
• Generation Debt has some dirt on the student loan reforms now wending through congress
• I have not paid near enough attention to the folks at Campus Climate Challenge. This year alone they held events on over 600 campuses. Held 500 screenings of an Inconvenient Truth, held 35 regional/state conferences, trained 3,800 students, and convinced 280 colleges and universities to agree to become carbon-neutral. They've touched over 1 million students with their message. Not a bad year. Now they're coordinating a video campaign aimed at the Presidential candidates. That is some serious activism.
• Finally, North Carolina recently passed a bill that will make it easier for young people to register and vote by allowing them to do either three days before election day.