Electoral law in the United States: Non-voters may be removed from electoral lists

Anyone who has not voted on several occasions can be removed from the voter register. The Supreme Court of the United States approved the practice of the state of Ohio.

Electoral law in the United States: Non-voters may be removed from electoral lists

Wahlberechtigtein The United States may be removed from electoral lists if y do not participate in regular voting. The Supreme Court approved corresponding practice of state of Ohio in a judgment presented on Monday. Civil rights activists see this as unconstitutional withdrawal of electoral law.

The verdict now states that practice in state does not violate federal law. Those who do not use voting rights in Ohio for a period of one year are erhältPost by authorities. If letters so written do not return or give ir vote for four more years, Wirdihr name is deleted from electoral lists. The State justifies this procedure with DerNotwendigkeit, which keep lists on a current Standzu. Some or US states have similar regulations.

The case in which verdict was made concerned Larry Harmon, a software engineer and NavyVeteran who lives in Ohio. In presidential elections 2004 und2008 was elected, 2012 he had been "unimpressed by DenKandidaten". He also made no use of his right to vote in elections in DenJahren 2012 and 2014. When Harmon wanted to vote for a year Spätergegen an initiative to legalise marijuana, his name had been removed from ballot list.

Judge Samuel Alito Sagtebei of sentencing, in which proceedings were not question arises, "which is ideal method for DieAktualisierung of voter registers". "The only Fragefür to us was wher this violates federal law. That's what don't does. "

Democrats put a complaint

Twelve states, Mehrheitlichvon Democrats, reichteneine appeal in favour of plaintiff. 17 states with a majority Republican leadership reaffirmed ir Zustimmungzum judgment.

Critics see Entscheidungeine danger to democracy and disadvantage of socially disadvantaged people. Judge Sonia Sotomayor attacked this argument in IhrerStellungnahme for defeated judges who had to give up with 5 to 4 votes: The court ignore with verdict " considerable efforts vonBundesstaaten, low-income voters or minority DasWahlrecht ".

In year 2015, re were already more than 40,600 registered citizens of Ohio, Cuyahoga, of electoral lists Gestrichenworden. The majority of people re live in households with SchwachemEinkommen. "Countless voters, darunterObdachlose, have already been deprived of ir right to vote in Ohiosungerechtem and illogical deletion process," said ChrisKnestrick director of NorastOhio Coalition for Homeless (NEOCH).

For a healthy undfunktionierende democracy, we need to ease access to Wahlur Neer – not In addition, "said Andre Washington, president, Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI). In particular, low-income voters and SchwarzeWählergruppen are kept away from election. "

Date Of Update: 12 June 2018, 12:02
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