NAACP President calls on LA Gov to Stop Elections

[Anita Garcia]

President Gordon sends letter to Governor Blanco requesting that she stop the election in New Orleans scheduled for April 22nd.

From NAACP Press Release <http://www.naacp.org/news/2006/2006-03-17.html>:

Louis Keller, New Orleans' Registrar of Voters, has testified he believes the elections should be delayed in order to insure all citizens their right to vote. Secretary Ater has testified that if the elections are delayed, he can implement out-of-state satellite voting to ensure displaced citizens will not be forced to travel hundreds of miles to vote.

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The displaced voters face several hurdles to voting created through no fault of their own. For example, many of them were forced to move several times, as late as March 15th due to FEMA hotel evictions, and have not received information concerning the upcoming elections. Louisiana Secretary of State Al Ater has no mechanism in place to reach these voters with information.

Gordon said, ''Although Ater continually assures us he has plans in place to educate displaced voters, this message has not yet been conveyed to our citizens in Atlanta, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and other cities with large numbers of displaced black New Orleanians; In fact, at least weekly Ater's website changes with substantive clarifications.''

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Gordon also asked Gov. Blanco to consider establishing satellite voting locations in cities such as Atlanta and Houston, where thousands of Katrina victims have relocated. In addition, Gordon indicated that ''voters need additional time to forward their out-of-state addresses to the state, to register to vote, and to receive and return their absentee ballots.''