NAACP Wants New Orleans Election Delayed

Woodmonkey · 02-18-2006, 19:26

I can see how this is a problem. What will they do? I'm sure a lot of those people will never go back, but what about those who will? They are still citizens, even if displaced. Shouldn't they have a say?

Quote:

NAACP Wants New Orleans Election Delayed

Quote:

The Department of Justice should postpone upcoming elections in New Orleans until displaced voters have been located, NAACP officials said Saturday.

"We're worried about the voting rights of our people in New Orleans who are not, for the most part, in New Orleans," said Bruce S. Gordon, NAACP president. "People should still have a say in what happens in the communities that were ravaged by Katrina."

Last week, Gordon asked U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to make sure election procedures are fair. The Voting Rights Act allows federal officials to scrutinize election changes that may hurt minorities.

"If it requires us to take legal action, we will fight this," Gordon said.

A Justice department spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.

Officials of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, speaking at the organization's annual board meeting, also called on Congress to renew parts of the Voting Rights Act that are due to expire next year and criticized the recent selection of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

Alito is a "radical judicial activist, a man hostile to civil rights and women's rights," said Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP.

Last week, Louisiana lawmakers approved plans to set up satellite voting centers in 10 state parishes and allow evacuees to vote by absentee ballot in the April 22 city elections. NAACP officials said that date is too soon.

Barely one-third of residents have returned to Orleans Parish, which was two-thirds black before Hurricane Katrina, according to estimates from the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center. Tens of thousands of displaced people are still without permanent housing and mail delivery is delayed.

"Protecting voting rights is going to depend on the absentee ballot process," said John H. Jackson, NAACP chief policy officer. "The state has the burden of showing that they have accurate information for locating them. We don't want to have those ballots go out and have them never connect with individuals."

Kwame I. Asante, president of the NAACP's Baton Rouge branch, said: "We've received many calls from people who are asking, 'Where do we go? How do we register to vote?' ... It's too soon for many people."

Click here
for the source of this article

Shooterman · 02-18-2006, 20:01

Of course! There hasn't been enough Blacks returning to warrant the election being held. Good Googly-mooglies.

Woodmonkey · 02-18-2006, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shooterman

Of course! There hasn't been enough Blacks returning to warrant the election being held. Good Googly-mooglies.

If I recall correctly, the city was 70% black before.

si6 · 02-18-2006, 22:22

70%+ with a 99% black police force and 100% crime rate..

nagin should be run outta NO on a rail, along with blanco

Scrappy · 02-18-2006, 22:55

WTH!? You can either vote at the poles or request an absentie ballot. I'm not going to say crap about nagin or blanco, unless I'm ivited or goaded

Scrappy · 02-18-2006, 23:03

Quote:

Protecting voting rights is going to depend on the absentee ballot process," said John H. Jackson, NAACP chief policy officer. "The state has the burden of showing that they have accurate information for locating them. We don't want to have those ballots go out and have them never connect with individuals."

Dangit, if you aren't there you can't be part of the process. It's a choice people make. And the state has no said burden

Quote:

burden of showing that they have accurate information for locating them. We don't want to have those ballots go out and have them never connect with individuals

due diligence by the state, yea, but if the information they provide to the state is faulty, the burden is not on the state.

You guys don't forget with a right comes a duty

JudyLynne · 02-19-2006, 14:12

[quote=si6]70%+ with a 99% black police force and 100% crime rate..

True and a large percentage of the population was on welfare. SAD!