I was deeply disappointed to read a statement from state Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-Essex) to The Star-Ledger that he will not vote to place the provisions of the recently vetoed Democracy Act on the 2016 ballot. Automatic voter registration, expanded early in-person voting, protections against voter harassment and other key measures included in the act would give a greater...
I was deeply disappointed to read a statement from state Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-Essex) to The Star-Ledger that he will not vote to place the provisions of the recently vetoed Democracy Act on the 2016 ballot. Automatic voter registration, expanded early in-person voting, protections against voter harassment and other key measures included in the act would give a greater voice to all New Jerseyans, especially communities of color. Although Sen. Rice states he has conditioned his vote for a Democracy Act ballot initiative on restoring voting rights for people on probation and parole - a worthy cause my organization supports - he does so at the expense of transformative change.
We agree that the stripping of citizenship rights to ex-offenders - most of whom have never been incarcerated - is a blatantly discriminatory policy which disenfranchises 1 in 5 otherwise eligible black voters and strips communities of power. I gladly join the senator in his fight, not only as an advocate, but as the sister and aunt of those whom have been denied the right to vote because of this unfair measure.
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Where I and other concerned voters break with the senator, is in the idea that we should throw out the Democracy Act, which would reduce barriers for the other 4 in 5 currently unregistered black voters. Automatically registering people who have business at an MVC or other state agency would register tens of thousands of new voters, especially young black voters of which 55 percent of between the ages of 18 and 29 say they do not vote because they are not registered.
I urge the senator to reconsider, not only as his constituent, but as a black Latina woman and an affected wife, sister, aunt and mother. Legislators have a remarkable opportunity to empower New Jersey voters to expand their own voting rights and those of their neighbors next year, but time is rapidly running out. Senate and Assembly members who voted for the Democracy Act in June and decried Gov. Chris Christie's November veto should place it on the ballot without delay.
Analilia Mejia is executive director of New Jersey Working Families.