The ALEC-inspired attempt to introduce a voter-ID (read voter suppression) bill in the Nebraska legislature is being countered by a threatened filibuster from progressive senators. But while no one was looking, the Douglas County Election Commission decided to halve the number of polling stations and poll workers.
Douglas County, home to the City of Omaha, is the only place in Nebraska where there is a large concentration of black voters (it also has the largest concentration of Latino voters). In fact, Omaha has the dubious distinction of being ranked number one in the country recently for black childhood poverty. But the minority communities reliably vote Democrat.
The Election Commissioner, David Phipps, was appointed by right-wing Republican governor David Heineman whose main claim to fame so far has been overseeing the privatization of the state's child welfare program with no apparent plan in place and no accountability (so far four of the five private entities chosen to carry out the program have gone bankrupt or quit in disgust).
Mr. Phipps insists that his sole aim in carrying out the voter suppression maneuver is to save the taxpayers' money.
Grassroots activists are mobilizing to deal with this assault on voting rights. Watch this space for more details.
For a local newspaper's report, see http://www.omaha.com/...