Veterans Now Allowed To Register To Vote At VA Facilities

ACLU Encouraged By Decision, Hopes Policy Will Be Implemented Before November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

NEW YORK – In a victory for voting rights, the Department of Veterans Affairs reversed course Monday by lifting a ban on nonpartisan voter registration drives in its facilities. The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the ban as an unconstitutional infringement on the voting rights of over 100,000 veterans who live in the VA’s nursing homes, homeless shelters and rehabilitation centers.

The following can be attributed to Laughlin McDonald, Director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project:

“It is encouraging that the VA has seen the light and lifted its inexplicable ban on nonpartisan voter registration efforts. Hopefully, this new policy will allow veterans the opportunity to exercise the constitutional right to vote they have fought so hard to protect. It is about time the federal government realized there is nothing partisan about giving veterans voting information or registering them to vote. However, it is troubling that this reversal comes perilously close to the November elections. Considering the truncated window of opportunity, we hope that the registration process will begin immediately so that veterans will be able to vote this fall.”

More information on the ACLU Voting Rights Project is available at: www.aclu.org/voting-rights