Protect Voting Rights for Displaced New Orleanians

Demand Satellite Voting for New Orleans' Mayoral Election

On April 22nd, New Orleans will hold its first mayoral election since the storm. Everyone watching knows what will happen if elections go forward without a change--the Black vote will be suppressed and the ability for Black New Orleanians to claim their future compromised. During Iraq's election, the U.S. government provided polling places in U.S. cities with large numbers of Iraqi-Americans. Why won't it do the same for thousands of mostly Black displaced New Orleanians?

Please join us in calling on Governor Blanco to protect the voting rights of Katrina survivors by demanding satellite voting and, if necessary, postponing the election to do so:

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Read the e-mail message that we sent to our members about this petition.

Here is the letter that we'll send to Governor Blanco, unless you create your own. The letter will have your name on it.

Dear Governor Blanco,

I'm writing to express my deep concern that without satellite voting outside Louisiana, tens of thousands of voters will almost certainly be disenfranchised in the April 22nd election. I am urging you to institute satellite voting, postponing the election if necessary.

Absentee voting is not a viable solution for displaced voters. The fact that you've agreed to in-state satellite voting would indicate that you recognize this. There are so many reasons: the instructions are confusing; many Katrina survivors have had to move several times since they fled New Orleans, making it uncertain that election materials will ever reach them; election officials have mailed out inaccurate and incomplete information about absentee voting; and there are still delays in mail service to and from New Orleans, further diminishing the reliability of voting by mail.

Most survivors who have been unable to make it back to the city are Black. Failure to provide adequate voting accommodations for displaced residents will result in a massive dilution of African-American voting strength, and is, effectively, an attack on minority voting rights. All New Orleanians should have an equal opportunity to shape the future of their city by exercising their right to vote.

Setting up satellite voting centers outside the State of Louisiana in areas with large numbers of displaced residents is a reasonable, effective way to improve their access to voting rights. Please do the right thing and ensure that all New Orleanians have equal access to the vote.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]