Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video Support PBS Shop PBS Search PBS
NOW on PBS
This Week's Show TV Schedule Newsletter NOW Classroom Contact Us Archive
Next Time on NOW
The hearts and minds of Israel's citizen soldiers—how does a lifetime of war shape the psyche of a nation?
The Week's Most Popular Videos
NOW on Demand
Act NOW
Burning Questions  

What is voter caging? Are there organized efforts to keep Americans from voting?
Voter caging is a long-recognized, controversial Republican voter suppression tactic which has often been used to target minority voters in heavily Democratic precincts. It is a practice whereby a political party or campaign sends mail that can't be forwarded to a targeted group of registered voters—often minorities. A "caging list" of those whose mail is returned "undelivered" is then used as the basis for getting them taken off the voter rolls, on the grounds that the voter does not live at the address where he or she is registered. There is evidence that caging lists were assembled in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania during the 2004 elections, possibly intended as the basis for massive voter eligibility challenges. While the Senate recently unveiled a bill aimed at preventing the practice of voter caging, Republican officials maintain that voter caging is part of what they describe as "ballot security" measures necessary to combat voter fraud. So far, the Justice Department has failed to uncover significant evidence of widespread voter fraud in America.

MORE FROM NOW

Voter Caging

Web-Extended Interview: David Iglesias

Will the 2008 Vote Be Fair?


EXTERNAL LINKS

ProjectVote: Voter Caging

Slate: Raging Caging: What the heck is vote caging, and why should we care?






About  |  Contact Us  |  Pledge
© 2009 JumpStart Productions. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy