Fed Officials Force Board of Elections to Address Voting Rights Questions (Brooklyn purge)
Fed Officials Force Board of Elections to Address Voting Rights Questions
May 20, 2016 · by Brigid Bergin
Federal lawmakers are demanding to know if the Brooklyn voter purge before last month's primary election could have been prevented.
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Three years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional. It required certain places, including New York City, to seek pre-clearance, or approval from the Justice Department, before making any changes to their voting laws or practices.
When Velazquez asked the Board of Elections' Michael Ryan whether that former law would have prevented the purge, he pivoted.
“There was clear employee error on a misinterpretation of the law,” said Ryan. He added that the Board was taking steps to ensure the mistakes wouldn’t be repeated.
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Even without Section 5, Jeffries said he hasn't ruled out calling for a federal investigation. “I think many of us would be prepared to ask the Department of Justice to look into what occurred here in New York City beyond the investigations that are taking place at the city and state level,” he said...
