New research is adding to the growing body of evidence that voter ID
laws not only suppress the right to vote, but that they
disproportionately target minority voters. The study is the latest in a
series of reports that have been ignored by the right-wing media as they
continue to support the laws as a solution to a largely non-existent
voter fraud problem.
The right-wing media has routinely ignored or downplayed the evidence that voter ID laws disenfranchise eligible voters. Recently, Fox News hosted conservative
columnist John Fund to promote the laws. During the segment, Fund
downplayed the effect they could have on restricting voting rights,
claiming there is "no chance that someone will be denied the right to
vote because they don't have an ID in Pennsylvania." Fox has attacked the Department of Justice for investigating discrimination in voter ID laws. Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy even highlighted a
flawed report that purported to claim that minorities would be
protected by voter ID laws. But contrary to the right-wing media's
portrayal of the laws, evidence continues to mount showing that the laws
would not only suppress the right to vote, they would in fact primarily
target minority voters.
A September 12 Associated Press piece featured evidence
from a study conducted by Cathy Cohen of the University of Chicago and
Jon Rogowski of Washington University in St. Louis, which found that as a
result of new voter ID laws, "as many as 700,000 minority voters under
30 may be unable to cast a ballot in November." The study pointed to
more stringent laws passed by 17 states in the past election cycle that
would make it more difficult to vote without government issued
identification.
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