No Early Voting, No Online Registration: Inside MS’s Voting Rights Battle

AS THEY BROUGHT SOME SWING STATE VOTER TURNOUT WILL BE KEY.

THE NEXT GUEST IS DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO MOBILIZING BLACK WOMEN TO EXERCISE THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI BLACK WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLE.

THIS CONVERSATION IS A PART OF OUR ONGOING INITIATIVE THAT REPORTS ON THREATS TO DEMOCRACY.

THE IMPACT OF CHANGES TO VOTING LAWS AND WAS CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW.

IT IS CALLED PRESERVING DEMOCRACY.>> AS WE ARE A COUPLE OF DAYS OUT FROM ELECTION DAY ALTHOUGH IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE ALREADY VOTING, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WILL GET TO.

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING?

>> ONE OF THE GOALS FOR ME WHEN I WAS ASKED TO TAKE OVER THE ROUNDTABLE IN 2018 THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT DROVE ME AND THAT MY VISION WAS I NEEDED TO LIBERATE MY PEOPLE.

IT FELT VERY MUCH LIKE A CALL.

I ACCEPTED THAT.

FOR ME IT LOOKED LIKE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I AM A POLICY ADVOCATE AND A SOCIAL WORKER.

ONE THING THAT I SAY IS POLICY IS THE WORK OF OUR DEMOCRACY, BUT THE VOTE IS THE HEART OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

FOR ME I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT LIBERATION REALLY STOOD TALL WITH VOTING.

WE TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY AND BEGIN TO SAY HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE VOTING POPULATION OF BLACK WOMEN?

PARTICULARLY IN FREQUENT BLACK WOMEN.

WITH THAT INFORMATION WE DEVELOPED A VOTER ENGAGEMENT TRAINING PLAN ROOTED IN CULTURE STRATEGICALLY AND WITH THE INTENSITY OF A BOOT CAMP BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR VOTING RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK.

WE WANTED TO REALLY DESIGN IT IN A WAY TO WHERE IT FELT RIGOROUS AND SERIOUS BUT ALSO HAD A LOT OF JOY IN IT AS WELL.

>> WITH BACKUP BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WILL BE LISTENING TO OUR CONVERSATION WHO WILL BE ASKING THEMSELVES WHY THEY NEED THAT IN MISSISSIPPI.

IT'S 2024.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE AS OBSTACLES TO THAT PARTICIPATION?

>> WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION I AM REALLY GLAD YOU ASKED IT THAT WAY.

VOTING RIGHTS ARE STILL BEING SUPPRESSED HERE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WE HAVE REALLY REGRESSED THE VOTING LAWS HERE.

WE DO NOT HAVE EARLY VOTING IN MISSISSIPPI.

>> YOU HAVE AN EARLY VOTING AT ALL?

>> WE HAVE NO EARLY VOTING.

WE HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING IN MISSISSIPPI.

YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR THAT BASED ON YOUR AGE AND DISABILITY AND HAVE A REASON TO DO IT.

THEN YOU CAN GO AND HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING.

>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO HAVE TO HAVE YOUR APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE VOTING NOTARIZED, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO GO TO SOMEBODY WHO IS A NOTARY PUBLIC AND GET THEM TO VALIDATE THIS.

>> ONE MORE THING IS THAT WE ALSO DON'T HAVE ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION AND EARLY VOTING.

WHAT THIS DOES IS IT GIVES PEOPLE ONLY 12 HOURS IN THE DAY TO GO VOTE.

THAT IS PROBLEMATIC PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK WOMEN IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI THAT ARE WORKING 2 AND 3 JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDCARE AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT HAVING IN FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES.

FOR US WE ARE SAYING IF THIS IS A DEMOCRACY AND WHERE THE VOTE IS SUPPOSED TO MATTER TO EVERYONE LET'S EXPAND VOTING ACCESS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN VOTE IN THEIR VOICE.

THAT IS IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE THESE RESTRICTIONS HERE THAT KEEP PEOPLE FROM DOING THAT.

LET'S NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT THE DISENFRANCHISING CRIMES THAT WE HAVE IN MISSISSIPPI WHERE PEOPLE HAVE LIFETIME VOTING RESTRICTIONS WHERE THEY CAN'T VOTE.

>> IS THE ISSUE THERE IS NO PROCESS FOR RESTORATION LIKE WHEN YOU'RE.

OF PROBATION IS COMPLETE THERE IS NO MECHANISM BY WHICH YOU CAN ASK FOR RESTORATION OF YOUR VOTE?

IS THAT THE MAIN ISSUE?

>> IS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT HERE.

YOU CAN ASK FOR RESTORATION.

BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY IN THE STATE THE PROCESS FOR GETTING PEOPLE'S VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED IS VERY DIFFICULT.

OUR PROCESS IS YOU HAVE TO GET LEGISLATURE TO WRITE A BILL AND THEN PRESENT THAT, AND THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON WHETHER THAT PERSON CAN GET THERE VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED.

THAT IS VERY HARD TO DO.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD A HEARING BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TO SAY THEY WANT TO PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO VOTE.

THEY WANT TO ADD MORE CRIME.

ANOTHER THING THEY WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THEY CAN GET THERE VOTING RIGHTS WHISPERED THEY HAVE TO SERVE THEIR SENTENCING AND PAYBACK THEIR RESTITUTIONS AND FINES.

WE KNOW THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE COMING OUT OF PRISON THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND HARD FOR THEM TO EVEN GET A JOB.

WE KNOW THAT THERE PREDATORY ON FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

>> ONE THING THAT IS STRIKING IS IT HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PERCENTAGES OF ELIGIBLE BLACK VOTERS IN THE COUNTRY.

SOME ALMOST 40% OF MISSISSIPPIANS ARE BLACK.

OR BIRACIAL.

AND YET THERE ARE NO BLACK PEOPLE IN STATEWIDE OFFICE IN MISSISSIPPI.

BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE DOMINATED BY REPUBLICANS.

PERCENTAGE AND THAT BODY IS NOWHERE NEAR THEIR PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION OVERALL.

WHY IS THAT?

>> IT HAS TO GO BACK TO WHAT I THINK OUR VOTERS ARE PRESCIENT AND GERRYMANDERING.

YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE HAVE NOT HAD A STATEWIDE PERSON OF COLOR TO BE IN A STATEWIDE OFFICE.

NOT FOR NOT A LACK OF TRYING.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS, BUT IF YOU ARE DRAWING THESE LINES IN SUCH A WAY THAT DISENFRANCHISES THE VOTE THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE, AND THIS IS THE EFFECT OF THAT IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A PERSON OF COLOR OR A BLACK PERSON TO SIT IN THAT STATEWIDE OFFICE.

>> WHEN HE SAID THIS IS VOTER SUPPRESSION HOW DO PEOPLE IN THE STATE RESPOND TO THAT?

DO THEY BELIEVE YOU THINK IT IS RIDICULOUS?>> MISSISSIPPI HAS 30,000 REGISTERED VOTERS FROM THE VOTER ROLLS.>> WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?

>> LAST YEAR.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

WE MET THE VOTERS WHERE THEY WERE IN THE RESTAURANTS AND CLUBS AND HAD A CHECK YOUR VOTER STATUS DAY.

WE PRESENTED THEM WITH AN iPAD AND SAID WE NEED YOU TO CHECK YOUR STATUS.

SURE ENOUGH SOME OF THEM CHECKED AND SAID IT CAN'T BE ME BECAUSE I VOTED.

THEY WERE NOT ON THOSE VOTER ROLLS.

WE HAVE MADE PHONE CALLS TO PEOPLE.

YOU ARE NOT ON THE VOTING ROLLS.

WE WANT TO HELP YOU TO REGISTER.

FOLKS ARE KNOCKING ON DOORS DOING THE SAME.

IT IS REAL.

>> WHAT IS THEIR ARGUMENT ABOUT WHY THEY WERE PURGED?

WHAT IS THE STATED REASON WHY THESE VOTERS WERE PURGED FROM THE ROLES?

>> WEATHER THE STEAL REASON THEY HAVEN'T VOTED IN THE LAST TWO ELECTIONS.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT SOME PEOPLE DID VOTE AND HAVE ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY VOTED.

SUPER VOTERS BUT YET THEY HAVE BEEN PURGED FROM THE ROLES.

>> I UNDERSTAND YOURS IS A NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT DIFFERENCE IT WOULD MAKE -- CLUSTERS FOCUS ON THE BLACK VOTERS WHO ARE REGISTERED BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON DO NOT GET TO THE POLLS.

WHAT DIFFERENCE IT MIGHT MAKE IF THEY WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE POLLS?

>> IN 2018 THERE WERE SEVEN POINTS BETWEEN.

THAT IS A 60,000 VOTE DIFFERENCE.

THE CENTER BASE.

2019 THERE WAS FIVE POINTS BETWEEN.

THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT RACE.

SO THAT WAS 45,000.

IN 2023 THERE WAS A THREE POINT RACE.

THAT IS 26,000 VOTE DIFFERENCE WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE VOTING PERCENTAGES IS CLOSING.

WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE THEIR VALUES, AND IT ALSO MEANS THE RULES KEEP CHANGING BECAUSE IT IS THOSE PERCENTAGES GETTING CLOSER, AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS ARE DOING OUR PART TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS SO THEY CAN VOTE FOR WHO THEY WANT TO VOTE FOR.

>> SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT WHAT THEY CALL AN UNDER VOTE.

THEY SAY THE UNDERLOAD IS PEOPLE NOT INTERESTED OR BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO VOTE.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE.

IN FACT MORE PEOPLE KEEP VOTING DESPITE THESE IMPEDIMENTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MORE PEOPLE KEEP VOTING.

WE SEE IT IN NEVADA.

I THINK WHAT IS ALSO DRIVING THIS IS ME KNOW THE OVERTURNING OF ROE VERSUS WADE CAME OUT OF MISSISSIPPI.

OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL BROUGHT THAT CASE TO THE SUPREME COURT.

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AND ON FIRE ABOUT THAT.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REALLY CARRYING THAT BANNER SAYING THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

THEY ARE SHOWING UP TO THE POLLS AND HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

IT IS NOT THAT THEY ARE NOT SHOWING UP.

IT IS ABOUT HAVING THAT ACCESS AND CONTINUING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE THAT WILL CLOSE THE GAP.>> YOU TESTIFIED TO THESE MATTERS AND HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME.

WHEN YOU SERVICE THESE ISSUES WHAT DO THE LEGISLATORS SAY?

HOW DO THEY DEFEND THESE DECISIONS?

>> LAST YEAR WE SAW DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION MANY OF OUR LEGISLATORS PARTICULARLY IN THE BLACK CAUCUS PERFORM LEGISLATION THAT WOULD RESTORE PEOPLE'S VOTING RIGHTS.

BUT IT WAS REJECTED.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT WE ARE SEEING IN COMMUNITY MANY OF THEM UNDERSTAND THAT AND SEE THAT, BUT WHEN WE GO OVER TO LESS FRIENDLY LEGISLATORS WHO REALLY WANT THE MORE RESTRICTIVE ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEAR IS WE WANT TO PREVENT FRAUD FROM OCCURRING.

WE KNOW THAT IN MISSISSIPPI THAT IS VERY FEW AND IN BETWEEN.

NOT A LOT OF DATA TO SUPPORT IT, SO THERE IS A LOT OF DISINFORMATION THAT IS OCCURRING.

WE JUST CONTINUE TO EDUCATE.

TO CONTINUE TO STAND TOGETHER AS A COALITION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS BROUGHT TO THE POLICY TABLES SO THAT THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

BECAUSE WHAT THIS REALLY IS ABOUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IS HOW WHO WE ELECT AN OFFICE REALLY HAS AN IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE'S KITCHEN TABLES.

MAKING SURE THEIR WAGES ARE INCREASED.

MISSISSIPPI HAS NOT HAD A WAGE INCREASE.

>> YOU'RE SAYING THE MINIMUM WAGE?

>> YES.

>> SOMETHING THAT IS SURPRISING TO HEAR WHERE THEY HAVE THESE.

THERE ARE POPULATION CENTERS BUT THERE ARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

DO YOU SEE THIS AS A WAY TO KEEP CERTAIN PEOPLE FROM VOTING?>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

WHEN YOU SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ELECT SOMEONE THAT CARES ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES AND KITCHEN TABLES AND DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS.

CARES ABOUT PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE.

YOU ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO CHANGE THE RULES TO THE GAME TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

RACISM RUNS THROUGH THIS.

YOU CAN'T DENY THAT.

THIS IS WHY I THINK THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS SO IMPORTANT.

THERE WAS ONCE A TIME BEFORE IT WAS STRUCK DOWN WE HAD PRECLEARANCE.

BEFORE ANY RULES OR POLICIES OR ANYTHING WAS CHANGED A STATE OR JURISDICTION HAD TO GET CLEARANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WASN'T VOTER SUPPRESSION.

WIND THAT WENT AWAY WE DO NOT HAVE THE KIND OF PROTECTION NOW.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH HARD AND DO THE GROUNDWORK TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS TO CHECK THE VOTER STATUS AND LET'S HOPE TRY TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO THE POLLS WHILE ALSO WORKING AT THE SAME TIME TO PUSH FOR EARLY VOTING AND ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION.

THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

>> I HAVE TO ASK WHETHER YOU THINK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES LEGISLATIVELY.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE.

DO YOU THINK THE DEMOCRATS HAVE PUSHED HARD ENOUGH ON LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES?

>> WE ARE NONPARTISAN.

THIS IS WHAT I WILL SAY WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE.

NOT JUST ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION.

THIS IS AN ACT OF CONGRESS.

CONGRESS HAS TO DO ITS PART TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

THE DEAL THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN LEGAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST VOTING POLICIES.

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION.

IT IS ABOUT CONGRESS.

BOTH PARTIES COMING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOMS ARE CENTERED IN THIS DEBATE IN THIS POLITICAL CONTEXT.

>> WHY SHOULD PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF MISSISSIPPI CARE ABOUT THIS?

>> THEY SHOULD CARE BECAUSE IT IS HUMAN NATURE TO CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

THIS IS JUST MY STORY.

MY MOM MAKING $2.13.

HAD TO HIDE ME IN A UTILITY CLOSET AT HER JOB IN THE EARLY 70s WHILE SHE GOES OUT AND CLEANED UP THE FLOORS BECAUSE SHE WAS A MAID AT A STATE AGENCY.

THAT WAS IN THE 70s.

THIS IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY.

THIS IS MISSISSIPPI, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH AND AROUND THE WORLD.

PEOPLE SHOULD INVEST IN A PLACE LIKE MISSISSIPPI AND A PLACE LIKE THE SOUTH.

YOU SHOULDN'T WRITE US OFF.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.