“Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote” Unconstitutional
Friday, October 17, 2008
With only a few weeks left before election day, many Americans are concerned about the economy and how the next president will approach the important issues of the housing crisis and continually rising foreclosure rates. With these issues front and center, it seems unfathomable that the people most affected, the ones who are facing foreclosure or are already going through the foreclosure process, may be unable to cast their vote come election day, however this is just what one Democratic voter advocacy group is warning about.
According to Novoterleftbehind.net, former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts issued a letter through the site to every state attorney general and every election head to make a publication declaration against any “lose your home, lose your vote” strategy to block registered voters from the polls. This campaign seeks to make voters aware that just because they are going through foreclosure, does not mean that they have lost their right to vote. Novoterleftbehind.net also wants to inform voters what to do if they are wrongfully turned away from voting because of the misconception that because one is going through foreclosure, they are no longer a true resident, the way a homeowner or renter is.
According to the letter, the three former officials were asking all “top election officials and Attorneys General in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia to rule in writing or by means of other public statement within the next two weeks that any attempts to block the voting rights of Americans in foreclosure is not permissible under state law.
Novoterleftbehind.net also provided the following tips to help foreclosure victims who may be unsure about their voting rights:
- You can not lose you voting right due to foreclosure.
- If you are going through the foreclosure process and are still living in your home, you can still vote where you live.
- If you are forced to move due to foreclosure before the voting registration deadline, you should register at your new location.
- If you move due to foreclosure after the registration deadline, but before the election, you should vote where you were last registered to vote and vote by signing an affirmation if your right is challenged, or vote by a provisional ballot if you name is not on the registered voter list.
According to Novoterleftbehind.net, former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts issued a letter through the site to every state attorney general and every election head to make a publication declaration against any “lose your home, lose your vote” strategy to block registered voters from the polls. This campaign seeks to make voters aware that just because they are going through foreclosure, does not mean that they have lost their right to vote. Novoterleftbehind.net also wants to inform voters what to do if they are wrongfully turned away from voting because of the misconception that because one is going through foreclosure, they are no longer a true resident, the way a homeowner or renter is.
According to the letter, the three former officials were asking all “top election officials and Attorneys General in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia to rule in writing or by means of other public statement within the next two weeks that any attempts to block the voting rights of Americans in foreclosure is not permissible under state law.
Novoterleftbehind.net also provided the following tips to help foreclosure victims who may be unsure about their voting rights:
- You can not lose you voting right due to foreclosure.
- If you are going through the foreclosure process and are still living in your home, you can still vote where you live.
- If you are forced to move due to foreclosure before the voting registration deadline, you should register at your new location.
- If you move due to foreclosure after the registration deadline, but before the election, you should vote where you were last registered to vote and vote by signing an affirmation if your right is challenged, or vote by a provisional ballot if you name is not on the registered voter list.
