Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
At the Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Act
Press Conference
October 27, 2005
I’m pleased to be here with my friend and colleague, Congressman
Artur Davis. I want to thank him for developing this legislation, and
it’s a pleasure to be working with him on this important issue.
We are continuing to learn about how Hurricane Katrina has turned the
lives of residents of the Gulf Coast upside down. Perhaps a million
and a half people were forced to flee the area in Katrina’s wake,
and the Secretary of State of Louisiana has said that close to 300,000
people from Orleans parish alone have yet to return home. Yet we know
that many, if not most, of these people wish to return eventually, and
it is crucial that they are able to elect the leaders who will help
shape the recovery process.
There are going to be a lot of challenges to holding elections in the
areas affected by the disaster. Many locations that served as polling
stations have been destroyed, equipment has been damaged or demolished.
But one of the biggest challenges is that the voters themselves are
scattered across the country. Unless these people have made a decision
to permanently relocate, they should have the right to participate in
elections in the place they call home. When a disaster strikes, people
have to flee, but they shouldn’t have to give up their constitutional
right to vote in elections that will make a difference to their futures.
The legislation that Congressman Davis and I are sponsoring will make
sure that victims of Hurricane Katrina who intend to return to their
home states will continue to be eligible to vote in their states, and
that the government takes steps to inform them of their voting rights.
It would extend the same voting protections currently available to members
of the military and overseas voters to those who are displaced temporarily
by Katrina. Under our bill, individuals who are qualified to vote in
their original place of residence, and who intend to return to that
place, will be entitled to vote by absentee ballot for federal elections
held through 2008. The bill also directs motor vehicle authorities and
voter registration agencies to take steps to notify the public that
this absentee ballot option is available for Katrina victims.
One thing that the legislation will do is make available to Katrina
victims the online resources that are now used by military and overseas
voters to request absentee ballots from their state and local officials.
This legislation does not mandate where people should vote, nor does
it place additional burdens on state election officials. It simply will
assist eligible voters to exercise their right to vote.
Congress needs to ensure that Katrina’s legacy does not include
damage to the integrity of our electoral process. Helping those who
have been displaced to participate in elections back home sends the
message that their votes matter and encourages their continued involvement
in our democracy. Counting all the votes in this case is simply not
enough: we must do everything we can to help make sure those votes are
cast in the first place.
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