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| Obama announces voting rights commission to tackle broken system | Obama announces voting rights commission to tackle broken system |
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| Barack Obama has ordered the creation of a non-partisan commission on voting rights in the US in an attempt to remove the hurdles to democratic participation that dogged the 2012 presidential election. | Barack Obama has ordered the creation of a non-partisan commission on voting rights in the US in an attempt to remove the hurdles to democratic participation that dogged the 2012 presidential election. |
| The announcement of the commission on voting puts flesh on the promise Obama made in his second inaugural speech last month to fix America's broken voting system. Last November, voters in main urban centres were inconvenienced by long lines at polling stations that in some areas forced citizens to wait for hours before casting their ballot. | The announcement of the commission on voting puts flesh on the promise Obama made in his second inaugural speech last month to fix America's broken voting system. Last November, voters in main urban centres were inconvenienced by long lines at polling stations that in some areas forced citizens to wait for hours before casting their ballot. |
| Florida, in particular, witnessed chaotic scenes with more than 200,000 voters estimated to have given up having waiting because the queues were so long. Obama said that the impediments to voting needed to be corrected, as voting was "our most fundamental right as citizens. When Americans – no matter where they live or what their party – are denied that right simply because they can't wait for five, six, seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals." | Florida, in particular, witnessed chaotic scenes with more than 200,000 voters estimated to have given up having waiting because the queues were so long. Obama said that the impediments to voting needed to be corrected, as voting was "our most fundamental right as citizens. When Americans – no matter where they live or what their party – are denied that right simply because they can't wait for five, six, seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals." |
| The president added: "We can fix this, and we will. The American people demand it. And so does our democracy." | The president added: "We can fix this, and we will. The American people demand it. And so does our democracy." |
| The White House had signalled earlier in the day that Obama intended to put voting rights on his state of the nation agenda. Among the official guests was 102-year-old Desiline Victor, from Miami, who spent three hours waiting to vote at her local library on election night before she was told to come back later that evening when crowds had cleared. | The White House had signalled earlier in the day that Obama intended to put voting rights on his state of the nation agenda. Among the official guests was 102-year-old Desiline Victor, from Miami, who spent three hours waiting to vote at her local library on election night before she was told to come back later that evening when crowds had cleared. |
| "Hour after hour," said Obama, "a throng of people stayed in line in support of her. Because Desiline is 102 years old. And they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read 'I Voted.'" | "Hour after hour," said Obama, "a throng of people stayed in line in support of her. Because Desiline is 102 years old. And they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read 'I Voted.'" |
| She was given a standing ovation, though Republican speaker John Boehner attracted criticism for not rising to his feet. | She was given a standing ovation, though Republican speaker John Boehner attracted criticism for not rising to his feet. |
| Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP, America's largest civil rights organisation, said the voting commission was a common-sense solution that the US was yearning for. | Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP, America's largest civil rights organisation, said the voting commission was a common-sense solution that the US was yearning for. |
| "We as Americans are proud of our legacy as the world's greatest democracy. But we know that legacy is also one of long lines and irregularities that we've seen every year long before the 2012 debacle. Presidential leadership to solve the problem is sorely needed and greatly appreciated." | "We as Americans are proud of our legacy as the world's greatest democracy. But we know that legacy is also one of long lines and irregularities that we've seen every year long before the 2012 debacle. Presidential leadership to solve the problem is sorely needed and greatly appreciated." |
| To underline the non-partisan nature of the commission, Obama said that he would be appointed two top lawyers to lead it – one from the team of attorneys who were employed by Obama's re-election campaign to deal with voting-related issues, and the other from the legal team of his presidential opponent, Mitt Romney. | To underline the non-partisan nature of the commission, Obama said that he would be appointed two top lawyers to lead it – one from the team of attorneys who were employed by Obama's re-election campaign to deal with voting-related issues, and the other from the legal team of his presidential opponent, Mitt Romney. |
| The 2012 presidential election provided an unusually ugly spectacle even by the standards of America's dark history of tampering with voting rights. Republican administrations in states across the country introduced new laws in advance of the presidential election that would have erected major barriers to voting, including the requirement to show government-issued photo cards and restrictions on early voting. | The 2012 presidential election provided an unusually ugly spectacle even by the standards of America's dark history of tampering with voting rights. Republican administrations in states across the country introduced new laws in advance of the presidential election that would have erected major barriers to voting, including the requirement to show government-issued photo cards and restrictions on early voting. |
| In many cases, the changes would have fallen disproportionately on poor, black, elderly and disabled voters and were denounced by Democrats and progressives as attempts to suppress voter turnout. Several of the new laws, though, were blocked by state or federal courts before the presidential polling stations opened. | In many cases, the changes would have fallen disproportionately on poor, black, elderly and disabled voters and were denounced by Democrats and progressives as attempts to suppress voter turnout. Several of the new laws, though, were blocked by state or federal courts before the presidential polling stations opened. |
| In the wake of Obama's pledge to deal with the threat to unhindered political participation, the Brennan Center for Justice, a leading thinktank on voting rights based at New York University, has produced a three-part plan to fix the problem of long queues at the polls. The blueprint calls for a modernised voter registration system, more early voting and the creation of uniform national standards for access to polling stations. | In the wake of Obama's pledge to deal with the threat to unhindered political participation, the Brennan Center for Justice, a leading thinktank on voting rights based at New York University, has produced a three-part plan to fix the problem of long queues at the polls. The blueprint calls for a modernised voter registration system, more early voting and the creation of uniform national standards for access to polling stations. |
| The Brennan Center's Larry Norden said that the bi-partisan commission was an "important step towards improving the experience of voters. He spoke powerfully about the need to reform the way we do elections in this country." | The Brennan Center's Larry Norden said that the bi-partisan commission was an "important step towards improving the experience of voters. He spoke powerfully about the need to reform the way we do elections in this country." |
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