Civic and Voting Rights Groups sent a letter to Nassau County Election Commissioners and Nassau County Republican and Democratic Party Leaders--covering Senate District 7 responding to recent reports in the media regarding proposed  widespread identification challenges to voters on the rolls for tomorrow’s special election in Nassau County.   The Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause/NY, DEMOS, League of Women Voters/NYS and NYPIRG urged ElectionOfficials to take special care to ensure that the rights of voters under federal and state law are scrupulously  protected in this hotly contested race.”

Based on media reports, Nassau County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Mondello is quoted as stating that “Our poll watchers and election inspectors will  challenge people to show some kind of identification as to who they are…They  have a right to ask for identification to make sure you are John Smith. Our people have been cavalier about this in the past.  This time, in this  election, we’re dearly concerned.”  (The New York Times, 2/3/07.)

The groups fear that this means that there could be wide-spread or blanket challenges, which will have a chilling effect on voters going to the polls and casting votes and result in delays at the polls.  The groups cite to federal and state laws that protect voters from blanket challenges and limit the circumstances under  which identification must be produced.

Common Cause has offered up its toll-free hotline number at 1-800-300-8707 as a place for voters to register complaints.