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STOP TRUMP’S VOTER SUPPRESSION PLANS


#VotingRights

A significant and dangerous event went largely unnoticed last week: John Thompson, the Director of the Census Bureau, resigned. http://politi.co/2qeuJ1b

This may sound banal. It’s not!

Combined with other recent developments, this could pose the LARGEST threat to nationwide voter access in over 40 years:

–The next US Census in 2020 will determine how voting districts are drawn and how ethnic groups are counted – and therefore determine which states gain and lose House seats during reapportionment.
–Trump’s preliminary budget will under fund the Census Bureau significantly http://theatln.tc/2ppCyBK

— Trump is establishing a “commission on election integrity,” led by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, author of discriminatory voter ID laws http://wapo.st/2qHnrno and speaker at white nationalist events http://bit.ly/1kqg0d0

–Meanwhile, the GOP House Election Integrity Act (HR 2090) would promote voter discrimination through mandatory voter ID laws.

Senator’s Wyden and Merkley are strong proponents of voting rights, cosponsoring a 2016 national vote by mail bill. Most of Oregon’s US Representatives have spoken out against voter suppression, except Rep Greg Walden, who received a shameful 13% ACLU Civil Rights rating. http://bit.ly/2pKq9Ud

Where’s Walden on Voting Rights!


**ACTION 1: CALL SENATORS WYDEN AND MERKLEY**

SAMPLE SCRIPT:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon. I want to thank Senator [–] for his strong support for voting rights. This week, I would like the Senator to speak out strongly against Trump’s unnecessary and potentially harmful new election commission. I would also like him to block any budget that does not call for sufficient increases to fund the Census Bureau; to work to assure a speedy non- partisan replacement for Census Bureau Chief John Thompson; and to reintroduce his national vote by mail bill to the Senate.”


**ACTION 2: CALL CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN**

SAMPLE SCRIPT:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon. I am appalled at Greg Walden’s consistently low rating on civil rights issues. This week, he has the chance to show his constituents that he cares about people’s right to vote no matter their income or ethnicity. To do this, he should speak out strongly against Trump’s new unnecessary and potentially harmful election commission. I would also like him to block any budget that fails to adequately fund the Census Bureau, to vote no on HR 2090 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2090 a GOP bill that would promote voter suppression), and to support the HR 946 Universal Vote by Mail Bill.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/946


**ACTION 3**
Fight voter suppression and follow/donate to Let America Vote https://www.letamericavote.org/


SENATOR MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129

SENATOR WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142

CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400

In a week dominated by President Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey, you could be forgiven for missing the imminent departure of another, less…
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