Latino Civil Rights Group Filed a Lawsuit in Opposition of the new Iowa Voting Law
Latino civil rights groups filed a lawsuit with their hope to counter the new Iowa voting law, which will make changes and affect truthful voters from the minority group. The Washington Examiner reported that the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa filed the lawsuit against Paul Pate, the Iowa Secretary of State, and Attorney general Thomas Miller.
The Latino Civil Rights group is represented by the Democratic lawyer Marc Elias. According to the civil rights group, the Republican-backed law is deemed to place irrelevant and unreasonable restrictions not only on the Latino voters but other Iowan citizens as well.
Latinos vs. New Voting Law
According to The Hill, the lawsuit filed by LULAC, together with Atty. Elias noted that "the voter suppression bill imposes unjustified burdens on lawful Iowa voters," and will affect every voting process. The lawsuit continued that the law would decrease the group's ability and opportunity to register and even vote absentee and in-person during the election day.
Des Moines Register reported that Iowan Governor Kim Reynolds had signed the legislation that will compromise the usual voting period, closing the polls an hour earlier during Election Day. That is what the Latino civil rights group is concerned about. The new Iowa voting law "will impose undue and unjustified burdens on a wide range of lawful voters," the lawsuit furthered. The proponents also fear that voters from a group like minority, elders, disabled, and even those who work multiple jobs, have no access to consistent mail service and reliable transportation, and with chronic health conditions will be affected by the decrease in time of voting that the law promotes.
In an exact number of days, Washington Examiner mentioned the laws will decrease the time of early voting to 20 days before the election, deducting 9 days to the previous allowance Iowans are allowed to vote. Washington Examiner also added that the legislation will close the poll by eight in the evening instead of nine.
Des Moines Register mentions Iowan Governor Kim Reynolds, saying "this legislation strengthens uniformity by providing Iowa's election with consistent parameters for Election Day," which will be determined by different factors such as database maintenance, absentee voting, and even clear appeals process intended to the local county auditors. Reynolds argued that the additional steps will provide and promote more transparency and accountability.
The Latino civil rights group is not only worried about the decrease in time change when the legislation or the new Iowa voting law is passed and signed by the governor. The Washington Examiner said that the lawsuit from the civil rights group furthered "these unnecessary voting restrictions independently and collectively impose an undue burden" which will affect the right to vote and violate many provisions of the Iowa constiitution.
WATCH: New Iowa Voting Restriction Law Faces Immediate Challenge in Court - from WHO13
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