Ending Deceptive Practices

People For the American Way strongly supports the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Act of 2007, introduced by Senator Barack Obama.

This much needed legislation attempts to address the multitude of voter intimidation and harassment problems that occurred during the past federal elections and particularly the 2004 Presidential Election. Our staff has worked closely with our allies and Sen. Obama’s staff to make this bill as good as it can be, and we are pleased that it is now moving forward. The Act is particularly notable because it enables private citizens to affirmatively protect their rights by giving them a more direct ability to officially report voter intimidation tactics and even pursue their claim in court if necessary.

Moreover, the required consultation and collaboration with civil rights organizations and voter protection groups provides the necessary communication between federal, state and local activists who are generally much more familiar with effective strategies to combat abuses on the ground. We are also encouraged by the required collaboration between the Attorney General, the Federal Communications Commission and the Election Assistance Commission to study the feasibility of using public service announcements, the emergency alert system, or other forms of public broadcast, to provide corrective election information.

This collaboration along with the reporting requirements included in the bill will help ensure the necessary oversight and follow-up by the Department of Justice to combat voter intimidation tactics.