Governor O'Malley’s record of getting things done on voting rights in MD.

[bigtree]

Lis Smith ?@Lis_Smith
@K_JeanPierre’s (national political director for O'Malley campaign) statement on @GovernorOMalley’s record of getting things done on voting rights in MD.





January 23, 2013 - Gov. O’Malley Proposes Expanding Early Voting

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley seeks to expand upon the state’s early voting plan, which has been in place since 2010. His proposal includes revisions such as increasing the number of early voting days from six to eight, as well as allowing same-day voter registration on the days designated for early voting. Of the proposed changes the Governor recently said - “We would be proposing same-day voter registration. We will also be proposing an expansion of what has been a very popular and well-received early voting system in Maryland.”

Under O’Malley’s bill same-day registration would be limited to early voting periods. Casting a ballot on Election Day would continue to require advance registration

read: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/01/21/gov-omalley-proposes-expanding-early-voting/



May 2, 2013 - Demos Applauds Gov. O'Malley For New Maryland Same Day Registration Law

New York, NY – Today, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law landmark legislation that will allow voters to both register to vote and cast a ballot during the state’s early voting period. Twelve states and the District of Columbia now offer Same Day Registration. Senate Bill 279 also adds two additional days to the early voting period, increasing the number from six to eight days to vote prior to Election Day.

The bill, introduced by the governor, will also increase the number of polling stations, particularly in larger districts where crowds of voters waited in line for hours during the 2012 election. SB 279 extends voting hours too.

Same Day Registration in Maryland is a victory that Demos and over two-dozen voting rights organizations have supported. In response to Governor O’Malley’s successful initiative, Demos President Miles Rapoport issued the following statement:

“The freedom to vote is how Americans, regardless of privilege or economic status, maintain the power to hold their elected representatives accountable for the decisions that impact their lives.

This bill is a huge victory for the people of Maryland. It will encourage the vote of the 1.3 million eligible voters in the state who didn’t participate in the 2012 presidential election.

“This bill is a huge victory for the people of Maryland. It will encourage the vote of the 1.3 million eligible voters in the state who didn’t participate in the 2012 presidential election. We applaud Governor O’Malley, the driving force behind this bill, and the General Assembly, for expanding citizen’s political voice in the decisions that affect their communities.

“Governor O’Malley’s action today accelerates the trend towards Same Day Registration. California and Connecticut enacted SDR in 2012; three other states are debating the reform this year.

“The record shows that voters clearly like Same Day Registration. 1.5 million Americans were able vote in the last presidential election with the reform—citizens who had missed unnecessarily early voter registration deadlines, or were left off the voter rolls by bureaucratic error. Maryland can expect to see a similar expansion of the freedom to vote.”

read: http://www.demos.org/press-release/demos-applauds-gov-omalley-new-maryland-same-day-registration-law


Maryland Restores Voting Rights to 50,000 Former Felons

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Martin O'Malley signed legislation on April 24 that re-enfranchises more than 50,000 Maryland residents who have completed their felony sentences of prison, parole, and probation. O'Malley's support of the "Voting Registration Protection Act" ends the state's lifetime voting ban and eliminates the three-year waiting period for certain people with past felony convictions.

"This is a progressive moment in Maryland and a new direction for our State," said Kimberly Haven, executive director of Justice Maryland, in a prepared statement to the press. Ms. Haven herself had been disenfranchised due to a felony record. "By signing this legislation, Maryland moves into the political mainstream. We applaud the commitment of the Governor and the members of the General Assembly who voted to support expanded democracy in Maryland."

Prior to the new legislation, more than 110,000 Maryland residents were disenfranchised due to felony convictions—one out of every 37 residents. The state was one of only 11 with a permanent felony disenfranchisement policy, and one of only six states that disenfranchised some who had been convicted of misdemeanors. Among those with felony records, nearly half (52,272) have completed their full sentence, while another 31% are living in the community on probation or parole.

Maryland joins a national trend of expanding voting access to people with felony convictions. This month, Florida paved the way to restore the vote to hundreds of thousands of people who had completed their felony terms, and previously were permanently barred from voting In November, Rhode Island residents voted in favor of a measure that removed the voting ban for people under felony probation and parole supervision. As of today, a total of 39 states and the District of Columbia allow voting upon completion of sentence, if not sooner.

In a prepared statement to the press, Marc Mauer, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project, said, "Antiquated laws still disenfranchise millions of Americans for their past mistakes. Changing these laws will contribute to successful re-entry and rehabilitation."

read: http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/042407OMalley.shtml

“Government works best when more people participate at the ballot box,” said Gov. O’Malley. “We’re doing more, not less, to give young people, the mentally disabled, our military, and so many others the opportunity to make their voices heard in their communities, and exercise what Dr. Martin Luther King called, ‘civil right number one’ — the right to vote.”

Over the last seven years, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has taken action to expand access to voting, and to make the process simple and easy for all eligible voters in the State of Maryland. Governor O’Malley proposed and signed legislation allowing for same-day registration in the 2016 elections. In 2011, he signed legislation establishing online voter registration, and since implementation, the system has registered over 70,000 voters. During the 2012 election cycle, 108,000 Marylanders used the system to register or modify their voter registration.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has also worked tirelessly to protect and secure the people’s right to vote. In 2007, Governor O’Malley signed legislation restoring voting rights to an estimated 52,000 individuals who completed court-ordered sentences, including parole or probation for a felony conviction. Maryland also passed legislation allowing residents who at least 16 years of age to register to vote and allow other young Marylanders to participate in primaries as long as their 18th birthday comes before the general election that same year.

Maryland also established protections through an amendment in 2010 clearing the way for mentally disabled individuals under guardianship to get registered to vote. As a result, a court must find clear and convincing evidence that an individual cannot communicate their desire to vote. Additionally, working with a bipartisan coalition in the General Assembly, Governor O’Malley signed legislation moving state and presidential primaries to dates earlier in the year, which also ensures that members of the military have enough time to vote under the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act.

read: http://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2014/10/04/omalley-encourages-people-to-register-to-vote/

[FSogol]

1. K&R. Not just talk - action. Increased voting rights. Done deal.

[bigtree]

2. action: updated

[FSogol]

3. Awesome. Keep up the good work. n/t

[bigtree]

4. kick

[bigtree]

5. kick

[bigtree]

6. /

[bigtree]

7. kick

[FSogol]

8. Sadly, stuff on policies/accomplishments sink on DU while drama, innuendo, & infighting are king. n/t

[bigtree]

9. its interesting how the speech by Hillary Clinton drew recs and responses

...and the extensive interview and Q&A from O'Malley got barely a response. It's going to be up to the campaign to generate enough interest to rise above the controversy of the day, and the breathless reports when Mrs. Clinton actually takes a position on something in this campaign cycle - or the cheering when Bernie Sanders makes a statement on something or the other. Only the campaign can make that happen in enough of a degree for it to make any significant impact here or elsewhere.

All we can do, I suppose, is to keep providing the record as a contrast and staying tuned to the campaign.

Do you have access to the twitter accounts of the communication wing of the campaign? Here's a couple:

Lis Smith ?@Lis_Smith: https://twitter.com/Lis_Smith (Deputy Campaign Manager, Communicator for @GovernorOMalley. Former Director of Rapid Response, Obama for America.)

Matt Sheaff @MattSheaff: https://twitter.com/MattSheaff (Team O'Malley - NH Deputy State Director handling communications.)

@GovernorOMalley’s Iowa senior staff:

Jake Oeth @JakeOeth

Joseph O'Hern @JosephOHern (Caucus Director for @omalleyforia!)

Kristin Sosanie @ksosanie (Iowa Deputy State Director, handling communications for @GovernorOMalley.)

[FSogol]

10. Thanks. I watch a few twitter accounts, but I guess I should bite the bullet, sign onto to twitter,

and follow them properly.

Outside of DU, not really sure the campaign is on many people's minds. Nothing will probably heat up until after labor day.

[bigtree]

11. I keep a couple on my bookmark bar and check them periodically

...for news stories highlighted and campaign updates.

Lis Smith ?@Lis_Smith 56m56 minutes ago
Great profile of @MattSheaff, @GovernorOMalley’s deputy state director in NH. Read it! https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/06/04/state-treasurer-aide-moves-white-house-campaign/6FuVFj4YHMbDzdXQNY9qAM

[FSogol]

12. Here's O'Malley's twitter account

https://twitter.com/governoromalley

[bigtree]

13. thanks, FSogol!

[FSogol]

14. Love this picture

We've got a long way to go, but it'll be more fun if we work together.
Join us: https://martinomalley.com/volunteer/ #OMalley2016