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Platform Statements — Voting Rights
Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 2008: Voting Rights
Many members of the Armed Services will find it difficult to participate in this year’s elections because of the government’s reliance on outdated and inadequate voting, notification, and ballot delivery systems. The mishandling and delaying of registration forms and absentee ballots disenfranchises thousands of our servicemen and servicewomen…. The Commander-in-Chief, the Department of Defense, and state and local election officials must do more to protect the voting rights of those on the front lines of freedom. That means using expedited mail delivery to bring ballots to and from our troops abroad, including those serving in areas of conflict, while completing work on an electronic ballot delivery system that will enable our military personnel to receive and cast their ballots in a secure and convenient manner. …We oppose attempts to distort the electoral process by wholesale restoration of the franchise to convicted felons, by makeshift or hurried naturalization procedures, or by discretionary ballot-reading by election boards. … We support the right of states to require an official government-issued photo identification for voting and call upon the Department of Justice to deploy its resources to prevent ballot tampering in the November elections. We support efforts by state and local election officials to ensure integrity in the voting process and to prevent voter fraud and abuse, particularly as it relates to voter registration and absentee ballots. …We oppose any restrictions or conditions upon those activities that would discourage Americans from exercising their constitutional right to enter the political fray or limit their commitment to their ideals.
CATEGORIES: 2008 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 2000: Voting Rights
The Republican party affirms that any regulation of the political process must not infringe upon the rights of the people to full participation in the political process. … [Gov. Bush’s agenda will] preserve the right of every individual and all groups—whether for us or against us—to express their opinions and advocate their issues. We will not allow any arm of government to restrict this constitutionally guaranteed right.
CATEGORIES: 2000 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 2004: Voting Rights
The foundation of our democratic republic is our commitment to conducting free and fair elections. Unfortunately, in November 2000, too many people believed they were denied the right to vote. Many African Americans, Hispanics, and others fear they may lose the right to vote because of inaccurate or insecure technology or because of a rolling back in the gains made by the passage of civil rights legislation. Our national commitment to a voting process that has integrity was underscored in 2002 when the Congress passed and the President signed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). We will continue to do all we can to ensure that every lawful vote counts for all Americans.
CATEGORIES: 2004 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
DNC 1992: Voting Rights
We support the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; affirmative action; stronger protection of voting rights for racial and ethnic minorities, including language access to voting; and continued resistance to discriminatory English-only pressure groups.
CATEGORIES: 1992 DNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 1988: Voting Rights
We oppose government controls that make it harder for average citizens to be politically active.
CATEGORIES: 1988 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
DNC 1988: Voting Rights
We further believe that the voting rights of all minorities should be protected, the recent surge in hate violence and negative stereotyping combatted, the discriminatory English-only pressure groups resisted, our treaty commitments with Native Americans enforced by culturally sensitive officials, and the lingering effects of past discrimination eliminated by affirmative action, including goals, timetables, and procurement set-asides.
CATEGORIES: 1988 DNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 1984: Voting Rights
Government should protect, not impinge upon First Amendment rights. Free individuals must have unrestricted access to the process of self-government. We deplore the growing labyrinth of bewildering regulations and obstacles which have…discouraged the participation of average Americans. Even well-intentioned restrictions on campaign activity stifle free speech and have a chilling effect on spontaneous political involvement by our citizens…We will remove obstacles to grass-roots participation in federal elections and will reduce, not increase, the federal role.
CATEGORIES: 1984 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
DNC 1976: Voting Rights
We support the right of all Americans to vote for President no matter where they live; vigorous enforcement of voting rights legislation to assure the constitutional rights of minority and language-minority citizens; the passage of legislation providing for registration by mail in federal elections to erase existing barriers to voter participation.
CATEGORIES: 1976 DNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 1976: Voting Rights
Too many government records, on the other hand, are unnecessarily classified. Congress and the Executive should devise a more reasonable system for classifying and handling government information.
CATEGORIES: 1976 RNC Voting Rights
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Monday February 06, 2012
RNC 1972: Voting Rights
In 1970 President Nixon approved strong new amendments to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and we pledge continued vigilance to ensure that the rights affirmed by this act are upheld.
CATEGORIES: 1972 RNC Voting Rights
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