O’Rourke Seeks End Of ‘Racist’ Voter ID Laws, Expanding Same-Day Registration

Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks to a crowd of marchers during the anti-Trump "March for Truth" in El Paso, Texas, on February 11, 2019. - The march took place at the same time as US President Donald Tru... Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks to a crowd of marchers during the anti-Trump "March for Truth" in El Paso, Texas, on February 11, 2019. - The march took place at the same time as US President Donald Trump pushed his politically explosive crusade to wall off the Mexican border at a rally in El Paso. (Photo by Paul Ratje / AFP) (Photo credit should read PAUL RATJE/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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KEENE, N.H. (AP) — Democrat Beto O’Rourke is calling for an end to what he sees as “racist voter ID laws” during his first presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire.

Speaking at Keene State College on Tuesday, the former Texas congressman also called for expanding same-day voter registration, as well as federal oversight of the voting system.

He says, “We have kept too many people out for too long.”

Republicans have pursued voter ID laws aimed at preventing in-person voter fraud, including by people in the country illegally. Many experts say such voter fraud is extremely rare, and critics contend the efforts are meant to suppress turnout from groups who tend to back Democrats, including racial minorities and college students.

O’Rourke plans to campaign in all 10 of New Hampshire’s counties over two days.

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  1. Avatar for bdtex bdtex says:

    One of the many ways Republicans suppress the vote. Good theme to campaign on. He should head to NC next and preach that. NC is on Super Tuesday in 2020.

  2. Looks like Beto has been talking to and listening to Stacey Abrams.

  3. This is a worthwhile campaign message. Will Beto be getting more coverage than everyone else from here on out? What with the Vanity Fair cover, etc., the spectacle has already started.

  4. This is the number one most important issue and it’s one for which I’m forever grateful to Eric Holder for fighting the good fight. I’m extremely pleased to see Beto taking on this issue. Everyone else in the race needs to follow his lead on this if they haven’t already.

  5. I like that message better than this one:

    “I think, you know, there are a lot of white folks out there who are not necessarily racist who felt uncomfortable for the first time in their lives about whether or not they wanted to vote for an African-American,” Sanders told the Daily Beast.

    I guess living in the whitest state in the country for the last 50 years skews one’s perspective.

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