AFL-CIO President John Sweeney on Supreme Court Voter ID Decision

For immediate release            Contact: Caren Benjamin 202-637-5018

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

on Supreme Court Voter ID Decision
April 28, 2008

Now, more than ever, America needs every voice to be heard.   We need fewer hurdles, not more, between voters and the voting booth.  That’s why today’s U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that voters can be forced to show a government identification is the absolute wrong direction for our nation and our democracy. 

For many Americans, the cost of processing the paperwork for a government ID is so daunting they may not vote.  The logistics of tracking down documents, traveling to offices and even just knowing where to begin, can be extremely daunting for the elderly, the disabled, the poor and voters in rural communities.

Voter ID laws like Indiana’s were enacted to take advantage of the fact that getting a government ID is not easy. These laws are no more than a cynical attempt to suppress turnout among groups who tend to vote for candidates who prioritize working families’ issues including lower income Americans and people of color.

In making this decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court put its seal of approval on what is in essence a poll tax.   It’s the wrong decision for our country, and the wrong decision for America’s working men and women. 

We will continue to fight for and defend Americans' right to vote in the face of this and other schemes to depress turnout, especially as we approach November's crucial election.