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August 12, 2013

Florida Gov. Scott Revives Voter Purge; Dream Defenders Launch Registration Drive 
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Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott is reviving his controversial bid to
purge supposed non-citizens from the voter rolls. The purge began before
last year's presidential election but stalled amid claims of
discrimination against Latinos and reports of multiple eligible voters
being targeted. The probe initially involved a list of 180,000 suspected
non-citizens, which was eventually reduced to 200 and ultimately
resulted in just one prosecution for fraud. The U.S. Supreme Court's
decision in June striking down a key part of the Voting Rights Act has
enabled several states to forge ahead with restrictions on voting. In
Florida, the group Dream Defenders is vowing to fight back with a voter
drive aimed at reaching 61,500 people — the margin of votes by
which Scott won in 2010. The Dream Defenders have been camped out in the
governor's suite for nearly a month demanding changes including the
repeal of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. Executive director Philip
Agnew announced their latest campaign.

Philip Agnew: "We intend to register the people that are forgotten: the
black, the brown, the indigent, the poor, the LGBTQ community. And we
will meet them where they are: in their classrooms, at the mall, at the
club, on the corner, at the bustop. And we will encourage them to vote
in the name of their issues, not in the name of any candidate. We will
encourage them to use their power at the ballot, not for any party, not
for promises and pandering, but in a way that builds power for young
people, for people of color, for poor people in the state of Florida."

 

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