Virginia – If We Can’t Change Their MINDS, It’s Time to Change Their SEATS!

Virginia Republicans really hate the idea of people voting. Especially the elderly, those in assistant-living facilities (AND their caregivers!), college students, working-class folks, those who have multiple jobs, and anyone who might have a hard time getting around.

Pretty much anyone who might entertain the notion for voting Democratic.

In a press release, Virginia Democrats listed all of the bills that died silent deaths in committee at the hand of Republicans:

1. A bill sponsored by Del. Cliff Hayes that would allow seniors 65 and older to vote absentee
2. A bill sponsored by Del. Paul Krizek that would allow seniors 65 and older to vote absentee
3. A bill sponsored by Del. Rip Sullivan that would create early, no-excuse voting in Virginia
4. A bill sponsored by Del. Betsy Carr of t­hat would create no-excuse absentee, no-excuse absentee in-person voting available 21 days before an election
5. A bill sponsored by Del. Cliff Hayes that would create in-person no-excuse absentee voting
6. A bill sponsored by Del. Betsy Carr that would make it easier for residents of assisted living facilities to vote
7. A bill sponsored by Del. Rip Sullivan that would make it easier for caregivers to vote
8. A bill sponsored by Del. Vivian Watts that would make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to vote
9. A bill sponsored by Del. Mark Sickles that would make it easier for child caregivers and people without a means of transportation to vote
10. A bill sponsored by Del. Rip Sullivan that would make it easier for Virginia college students to vote
11. A bill sponsored by Del. Steve Heretick that would repeal the photo ID requirement

ALL of those are from THIS year alone. That also doesn’t even get into the bills that the Republicans tried to pass this year to make voting even harder, such as this bill which would have closed registration earlier on the final day, and this gem of a bill which would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Of course, all of you out there in the Kos world knows why they’re doing this: they’re scared of us. They know that if we get anything near presidential-level voter participation this year, they’re going to lose and lose BIG.

There are 17 House of Delegates Districts carried by Clinton but held by Republicans. I’m running for one of them, and I’ve been working with some of the Democratic challengers in the others. We win those, we have a majority again. We can start improving lives again.

But we need your help.

1. Spread the word — make sure everyone you know who lives in Virginia knows we’re having elections this year. June 13th is the Primary, November 7th is the General Election.

2. Volunteer — if you live in Virginia, canvass, phonebank, and/or host house parties for your local candidates. If you’re too far away or live outside of the commonwealth, phonebank!

3. Pick a favorite candidate from 90 for 90 and contribute to their campaign! The inconvenient truth is that we need funds to get our message out to voters, and that funding doesn’t come from the party.

I’m committed to a 21st Century Voting Rights Act which:

• Create no-reason-necessary absentee voting.
• Automatically register teenagers who will be 18 by election day.
• Allow for Same-day registration.
• Make mail-in absentee ballots pre-paid postage.
• Expand the types of identification accepted for registration and verification on election day, with an eye to getting rid of voter ID requirements completely.
• Allow additional options for college students, including bringing more voting locations onto college campuses, which should eventually culminate in most college campuses being a precinct with their own on-campus voting location.
• Allow for a process of restoration of rights for ex-felons,including automatic restoration at the completion of sentences and parole on certain lesser crimes.

If they have to silence their constituents in order to win, they don’t deserve to be legislators any longer. Time to send them packing.

My campaign website can be found here. My donation page can be found here.