Blog: Mark Kirk's Voter Intimidation Program

Statement

It's been a decade since the voting debacle in Florida in 2000 and two years since Republicans tried to stifle the Democratic vote during the Presidential Election. But Republicans are at it again.

Mark Kirk was caught on tape telling his supporters that he has funded "the largest voter integrity program in 15 years," deploying an untold number of Republican lawyers and operatives to "vulnerable" areas where he falsely claims that Democrats will try to "jigger the vote." Which areas is Kirk targeting? The South Side of Chicago, Metro East, and Rockford.

Can you help sponsor an AFI poll watcher by donating $10 today?

We don't know exactly how many millions Kirk is putting behind his "voter integrity" squads, but we're going to have to double up our voter protection efforts to ensure every voter eligible to vote can cast their ballot free of Republican intimidation at the polls.

Yesterday, the Democratic National Committee's Counsel and Director of Voter Protection said that "the climate may be a little cooler, but this could be Florida 2000 all over again." The DNC has announced that Democrats will do everything in their power to ensure that "every voter -- regardless of where they live or their party affiliation -- is able to cast a ballot."

Our poll watchers won't go to the polls with a political agenda. They'll stand up for the right of all Illinoisans to vote, whether they're in a red county or a blue one. They'll be on call to let us know when Kirk's "voter integrity" squads are out of line so we can alert election authorities.

Can you help sponsor an AFI poll watcher by donating $10 today?

We've come a long way in this race, beating the odds and keeping this race competitive despite being outspent 4-to-1. We cannot afford to let Republicans undo all of our efforts on Election Day with Karl Rove trickery.

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