Category Archives: Reverend Barber

I didn’t even get past the subject line before rolling my eyes:

“Subject: NEWS ALERT: NC NAACP Witnesses Testify to Long-standing Record of Discrimination at the Ballot Box in North Carolina during Day 2 of Preliminary Injunction Hearing”

“Long-standing record …”?! Good grief.
Here’s one of their plaintiffs, a 93-year-old woman:

“Rosanell Eaton does not possess the proper ID to vote under the photo identification provisions of H.B. 589 that will go into effect in 2016 – the names on her driver’s license and voter registration card do not match – yet her concerns with the bill extend to other elements of the legislation. “It is so important that people have the time to vote,” Eaton expressed, raising concern about the provisions that slash a week from early voting and undermine same-day registration and use of provisional ballots. “Voting should be free and accessible to everyone.””

Let’s clear up some of her claims.

She’s 93 and still drives? God bless her. If that’s true, she can drive herself to the DMV to fix the address problem. She’s got a year and a half. In fact, all she needs is the driver’s license. You are not required to show your voter registration card currently nor under the new law. If it’s her voter card, that’s easy too. She just needs to contact her county board of elections.

That ‘slash of a week’ of early voting? North Carolina used to have 17 days, it’s now 10. The number of days was cut down, but not the number of hours.

Provisional ballots? They still exist for voting inside your precinct. Outside? Yes, they are gone; North Carolina is now the 32nd state who only allows provisional ballots within one’s own precinct.

Same day registration? Only 10 states, including the District of Columbia offer same day registration on election day. Only one other allowed same day registration during voting and that is Ohio. Personally, I have little sympathy for someone who scrambles to the polls to register to vote during the election period – clearly, neither voting nor figuring out the process of voting was not a priority to them.
“Voting should be free and accessible to everyone.”
I’m confused. Is someone charging her money to vote? Is she saying someone is blocking her access to the polls?

North Carolina’s voter ID law actually brings our state into alignment with most of the other states. North Carolina is the 34th state to enact voter ID. The fact is, voting is free and accessible to everyone. Having to prove you are who you say you are protects the integrity of your vote and the process.
What the NC NAACP has done here, and over the last year, appears to be a willing and repetitive misrepresentation of the law. For those who haven’t yet done so, please read the law. It will clear up many of the misconceptions the NC NAACP has apparently been promoting.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
Date: Wed, Jul 9, 2014 at 9:31 AM
Subject: NEWS ALERT: NC NAACP Witnesses Testify to Long-standing Record of Discrimination at the Ballot Box in North Carolina during Day 2 of Preliminary Injunction Hearing
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