Steven Holt: “I thank my friend and colleague from Ohio. I am pleased to come to the floor tonight to talk about a serious issue…”

“I thank my friend and colleague from Ohio. I am pleased to come to the floor tonight to talk about a serious issue: whether the voice of the people will be heard. As citizens of this Nation, the voting franchise is not just our constitutional right; it is the right through which all other rights are secured, our primary voice in how this country is run. And right now around this Nation, there are people who are working actively to disenfranchise specific sectors of our citizenry. How is this happening? Well, this year, in 38 States, there is legislation being considered or, in some cases, already approved to make it more difficult for citizens to register to vote, making it impossible to vote early, and to require identification that serves to eliminate or restrict voting for large numbers of people. Restrictions on voter registration have placed such burdens on groups organizing community-based voting drives--such as the League of Women Voters--that several organizations have suspended voter registration drives in some States due to the onerous nature of the legislation. Now, if there were a threat of voter fraud as the proponents of these laws assert, it might make sense, but there is no threat of voter fraud. Are there rampant cases of impersonation, voting as someone else? No. Voter fraud is not rampant. There are not numerous cases of impersonation.…”