Despite objections from voting rights advocates, House committee OKs bill that would create more obstacles for elderly, disabled needing help with absentee ballots; would make helping a felony

Voting rights advocates, led by the Alabama Voting Rights Coalition, fought against a bill that would create more obstacles for voters by making it a felony to provide help to voters who need assistance voting absentee. The bill went before a House committee on Wednesday morning and passed 9-3.

 

HB 209 by Rep. Jamie Kiel, is yet another example of how lawmakers are working to make access to voting more difficult, but comes as no surprise since Alabama has a long, storied history of voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement.

 

The meeting and public hearing by the House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee was heard in a meeting room that does not have live streaming set up. The room is also one of the smaller meeting rooms, which resulted in a cap being placed on the amount of people allowed in the room due to fire code. The smaller room did not allow as many people to attend the public hearing to voice their opinions on the bill and many organizers stood in the hallway outside of Room 418 where the meeting was held.

 

To begin with, members of the press were told by security that only one reporter would be able to attend the meeting and capture the story. Eventually, all members of the press were allowed in the committee meeting.

 

The bill passed out of committee despite heavy opposition from grassroots organizers and individuals who would be impacted by the bill.

 

Civic organizations and individuals could be charged with a felony for distributing the absentee ballot application – an application that is available on the Secretary of State’s website and is public record.

 

Organizers say HB 209 likely violates two federal laws including the Americans with Disability Act and Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act.

 

This bill creates unnecessary obstacles for senior citizens and people with disabilities who need assistance getting their absentee ballot applications.

 

One man – Percy Garrett – who is blind spoke about how the bill would impact his ability to vote.

 

“It is almost impossible for me to fill out the ballot alone,” he said. “At this time, I have a worker coming in to help me with my chores and voting is one of those chores. They are paid to do that. If they are going to be criminalized for doing that, then I think I will have to stop doing that. I will have to find another way.”

 

Organizers also spoke at the public hearing including League of Women Voters Alabama President Kathy Jones.

 

“HB209’s proposed punishment for helping Alabamians vote is incomprehensible,” she said. “There is no problem with voter fraud in the current Alabama absentee ballot process. At its core, HB209 is a tool for voter intimidation and voter suppression, meant to make absentee voting inaccessible for a large number of people who are legally entitled to vote absentee. The League of Women Voters of Alabama strongly opposes this bill and asks that the Constitution Campaign and Elections committee votes no on HB209.”

 

After the committee meeting, members of AVRC gathered in solidarity at a press conference to discuss the impacts the bill would have on their organizations and reinforced their commitment to stop HB 209.

 

Rep. Adline Clarke joined the press conference in opposition to the bill.

 

“It is truly a form of voter intimidation and voter suppression,” she said. “I am just ecstatic that you all came from far and wide. I offered an amendment that would have allowed non-profit 501c3 organizations to continue the work they do out in the field at election time.”

 

Clarke discussed that  absentee voting is already a confusing process and many ballots are rejected due to that.

 

Representatives including Rayford Mack of the Alabama Conference of NAACP, Kathy Jones of the League of Women Voters of Alabama, Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson, the Rev. Richard Williams of Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Dr. Joe Reed of the Alabama Voter Education and Registration Alliance and Ronald James Jr. of Black Voters Matter were among those who spoke.

 

“I plead not only with the citizens that are against this bill and I plead for the citizens who are for it for their heart and mind because sooner or later this bill will affect them,” Tyson said. “We aren’t the only ones doing absentees. There were over 60,000 people who voted absentee both Republican and Democrat in Jefferson County. So make sure when you are digging a grave for us, you don’t slip up in it.  We gotta fight cause we ain’t going back. You have to stand for what you believe in. You cannot let this happen and not say nothing.”

 

James said that today would not be the day that organizers accepted Jim Crow laws.

 

“Today is not that day,” he said. “I’m talking to the people of Alabama who are sitting at home. I’m telling you that today we are going to stand up and fight back. Get on your phones, run to your offices, call your legislators and your delegations to vote no on BS 209.”

 

James encouraged folks to call their neighbors and friends and get them to call their legislators.

 

“A vote for yes for Hb 209 means that you vote yes for your resignation,” he said.

 

James said a vote ‘yes’ means that legislators have no respect for those who fought and marched and they no longer are able to go to the polls but they need assistance to vote.

 

Rep. Juandalyn Givan said, “Tell me what democracy looks like, because in this instance, this is not what democracy looks like.”