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Washington, D.C., Group Accused of High-Tech Dirty Tricks to Suppress Black Vote
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| Contributor | Servo |
| Last Edited | Servo May 01, 2008 10:19am |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Wednesday, April 30, 2008 04:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | A D.C. advocacy group called Women's Voices, Women's Vote is being accused of waging a high-tech voter suppression campaign, after voters in predominantly black districts in North Carolina began receiving automated phone calls implying that they hadn't properly registered to vote in the upcoming Democratic primary.
The controversy underscores the mounting tension in the Democratic primary race. Polling in North Carolina currently favors Barack Obama over rival Hillary Clinton for the May 6 Democratic presidential primary there. Blacks, who overwhelmingly favored Obama in primaries in Virginia and Maryland, make up about 22 percent of the population in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Census.
Voters began complaining to The Raleigh News & Observer last week that they were receiving the automated calls, which the paper reported were primarily going to black households. The calls play a 20-second message voiced by a man who calls himself "Lamont Williams."
"In the next few days, you will receive a voter-registration packet in the mail," the Williams recording said. "All you need to do is sign it, date it and return your application. Then you will be able to vote and make your voice heard. Please return the voter-registration form when it arrives. Thank you."
The recording does not identify the group behind the calls. But what most concerned some recipients of the calls is that they had already registered to vote. And, notwithstanding the message's promise, the calls were placed well after the deadline for submitting a new registration. |
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