Voting Rights Act: Rules and Order Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Section.Subsection.Sentence)

Quote #1

No person acting under color of law shall fail or refuse to permit any person to vote who is entitled to vote under any provision of this Act or is otherwise qualified to vote, or willfully fail or refuse to tabulate, count, and report such person's vote. (11.a.1)

A redundant—albeit necessary—provision. Say it louder for the people in the back: you can't go around ignoring laws whenever you want.

Quote #2

Whoever knowingly or willfully gives false information as to his name, address, or period of residence in the voting district for the purpose of establishing his eligibility to register or vote, or conspires with another individual for the purpose of encouraging his false registration to vote or illegal voting, or pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both…. (11.c.1)

This bill, right here, cuts both ways. It not only legislates against those who would prevent access to voting, but also people who would vote illegally. The idea that—let's say for a hypothetical random number's sake--three million voters could have voted illegally is kind of preposterous thanks to this provision.

Quote #3

Whoever, within a year following an election in a political subdivision in which an examiner has been appointed (1) destroys, defaces, mutilates, or otherwise alters the marking of a paper ballot which has been cast in such election, or (2) alters any official record of voting in such election tabulated from a voting machine or otherwise, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (11.b.1-2)

Tampering with ballots is a federal offense, folks—paper, digital, or otherwise.