Arizona Supresses Votes... Oh so Subtly

Secretary of State for the great state of Arizona, jan brewer (Rep.), is enforcing an election polling place "Dress Code". This is just another way that the Republican party is trying to insure that their man get's in. jan brewer is helping the Republican party with their voter suppression strategy. And you want to know the really cool part about this? Jan wasn't even going to tell the voters! There was no announcement, no news blip, no 30 seconds on FOX anti-NEWS, nothing, not until the ACLU challenged her and then it was the ACLU that talked not JAN!

Here's the gist of what jan brewer stated: Any voter wearing a button, pin, sticker, t-shirt or any other form of candidate or proposition support will be in violation of the Arizona Campaign Laws. Arizona campaign laws bar voters and poll workers from wearing anything that displays a political message within 75 feet of a polling site. County officials will enforce the rule actively. Voters will be required to either turn their clothing inside out or cover it up. Your buttons and pins - well, you'll have to remove those and put them in your pocket before you can vote.

Okay, so why say it's voter suppression? I personally have never worn a T-shirt or campaign button to a polling place, but if you look at the overall tone of this election combined with the very strong drive and support from the young voters; many first time voters supporting Obama, you can see how this may have an impact. You're not dressed appropriately you need to get out of line until you are... think about it.

Supporters of specific candidates will be easily identifiable if they are sporting a button, sticker, t-shirt or other paraphernalia; "Excuse me miss, you'll have to change. It is against the law to vote with an Obama shirt on." Effectively weeding out certain supporters and sending them away, hoping, I'm sure, that they are not able to make it back in line before the polling places close.

AZCentral.com Reports: "Voters may be forced to lose their place in line to alter their clothing and not have enough time to return, particularly if it is late in the day," Dan Pochoda, ACLU's local legal director, wrote in a letter Thursday. "The gratuitous loss of this fundamental right is not acceptable."

In a letter Friday, Secretary of State Jan Brewer rejected ACLU's interpretation, saying any political display by a voter near a polling place is "clearly electioneering and may not be permitted."

Clearly the Home State of John McCain is worried that his 7 point lead isn't enough for him to carry Arizona and Jan Brewer being a good soldier for the Republican Party is doing her part to help the cause.

I'd normally say screw the system, wear your button's, T-shirts, hell show up covered in Obama bumper stickers, but this time YOUR vote and YOUR voice and it is far to important. Go, go silently and vote - make sure your ballot is cast and cast it for the future. Yours, mine, the children and our country.

One last thought from me; I find it interesting that this law has been on the books for all of these years and Jan Brewer picks now, this historic presidential election, to enforce it. Nice. If you must protest - wear duct tape over your mouth as a sign of how you've been silenced.

Read more at: AZCentral, Daily Kos

Read more about Republican Voter Suppression at: Blog for Arizona The Raw Story and Brad Blog

You have been given a voice, use it. Go out and SCREAM! about something you care about.

Technorati Tags: voter suppression, jan brewer, Obama, Campaign Laws, Arizona politics