Addressing Louisiana’s Post-Katrina Electoral Problems
Brewing Election Problems:
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana voters and election administrators will face numerous challenges that threaten to undermine the state’s democratic processes. These issues include:
* The Federal Emergency Management Agency's refusal to allow its records of where Hurricane victims have relocated to be used to send voters notice of upcoming elections,
* Congressional and state legislative districts of wildly disparate sizes, and
* Thousands of displaced voters without stable absentee voting addresses.
FEMA's Unwillingness to Prevent Hurricane Victims from Being Disenfranchised:
Issue Summary: As noted above, thousands of southern Louisiana's voters have been displaced as a result of the hurricanes and flooding, but many of these (near 50%) intend to return to their home cities and retain their original legal domicile. The reality then, is that these voters should be treated as absentee voters for the time being. New Orleans has a February Mayoral election schedule, but right now the only comprehensive source of addresses for the displaced hurricane victims lies with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA, however, has refused to release the names and temporary addresses of evacuees to state officials who are attempting to facilitate voting in upcoming elections. Governor Kathleen Blanco is, in particular, seeking to use FEMA's records to make sure that hurricane victims receive absentee ballots, but FEMA has refused to do so, or to itself forward election information, ballots, or absentee request forms to voters. Such a refusal will effectively disenfranchise most of New Orleans' voters and unduly burden their right to vote.
much more, plus the solutions at:
http://www.fairvote.org/?page=1670
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