Mike Siegel Wins Victory For Voting Rights!
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) endorsed Mike Siegel for Congress in TX-10. Texas is known for voter suppression. Incumbent Senator Ted Cruz is notorious for opposing any voting rights or election protection measures—and he must be defeated on Election Day. It takes real courage to do what the Mike Siegel campaign put their bodies into the gears of the machine and brought home a win against voter suppression!
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As background, a Waller County supervisor of elections was setting up students at Prairie View A&M—a historically-embattled, mostly African American college—to have their votes thrown out. This follows a pattern by Waller County to ignore a Supreme Court decision in 1979 stating they the students there had every right to vote.
The locals were playing games with the process required to make these students “officially” registered. Enter the Mike Siegel campaign. Mike’s field director delivered a letter to the county courthouse, reminding the good folks there that the Supervisor’s office should work to make sure these students could vote.
After asking the field director what party his candidate was (subtle, huh?) they called the police on him, put him in jail for 24 hours, and confiscated his phone. A field director’s phone is a pretty important item for the campaign. He finally got his phone back after his release.
Mike and his team stood strong and fought to make sure these students could vote, and the result? After heated negotiations, a couple days later a statement came from the Texas Secretary of State that reads in part:
[A]ll students residing on campus who are registered to vote in the county will be able to cast their ballots at the Precinct 309 polling location on campus, and no students will be impeded, hampered, or otherwise delayed in exercising their constitutional right to cast a ballot in the upcoming General Election. No change of address form or statement of residence will be required prior to voting….
Furthermore, Secretary Pablos has committed to providing election inspection staff at the polling location in Precinct 309 to ensure that procedures are being followed properly, that registered students are able to cast a regular ballot, and that all Waller County voters can trust the process to be fair, transparent, and accountable–both in this year’s election and in subsequent elections.
That’s the kind of fighter the constituents of TX-10 need in DC! And that’s the kind of fighter Mike will be for all of us. Please donate all you can to help get Mike elected. Can’t donate? Then contact me, Mike Fox to help walk neighborhoods if you’re local, or jump on the virtual phone bank from your own home.
For details on the whole voter suppression mess, see Rachel Maddow’s coverage and interview with Mike and his field director here. (Analysis begins at 5:45 in. The interview begins at 19:20). To win, Mike needs your help. Every dollar you donate is essential. Please Donate Now! Thanks so much for anything you can do.
For Progressive Victories!
Mike Fox for Alan, Mike H., Deb, Janis, Dan, Kimberly, Bryan, Dr. Bill, and Shayna—Your PDA National Team
P.S. We’re here to help you make progress in your state and locality! If you need help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Coordinator Dan O’Neal. Join the PDA Phone Team making easy, effective calls from your own home with Mike “Phone Guy” Fox. Also please pitch in $1000, $100, or whatever you can afford to support our organizing.
