Liberal and conservative groups are mobilizing armies of poll watchers to battle over the enforcement of voter ID laws on Election Day. The Democratic Party has more to lose if turnout is low on Nov. 4. Liberals want to ensure that the young, black and Latino voters who form a key part of the party’s electoral base are not kept from the polls. Conservatives insist that they just want to uphold the integrity of the electoral process by making sure that all votes cast are legitimate. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has state directors stationed across the country for its Voter Expansion Project. They help train poll workers, and work with local election officials to clarify how laws will be implemented. “This has been a really big effort,” DNC spokesman Michael Czin said.
In addition, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will position trained members at polling locations to provide assistance and ensure no one is turned away in error.
“They can make sure any funny business at the polls can be addressed as soon as possible,” said NAACP Washington Bureau Director Hilary Shelton.
Voter ID laws have been pushed by Republican-controlled state legislatures in recent years, with the argument that they are necessary to prevent voter fraud.
True the Vote, a group that supports voter ID laws, provides training to “election observers” to monitor implementation of those statutes.
The organization’s president, Catherine Engelbrecht, said it also receives notifications from voters “if they feel ID laws were not properly enforced in their personal experience voting.” True the Vote will then send any complaints to local authorities.
Full Article: Squadrons form for voter ID fight | TheHill.