人兽性交

JACKSON, Miss.听鈥� A federal court has granted a request by Disability Rights Mississippi, the League of Women Voters of Mississippi, and three Mississippi voters to block S.B. 2358 鈥� a newly implemented state law that significantly diminishes access to the ballot for Mississippians who need assistance with voting.

Under the聽court鈥檚 order, Mississippi voters who need assistance due to disability, blindness, or inability to read or write may select a person of their choice to assist them with delivering or returning their absentee mail-in ballot. The court ruled S.B. 2358 violated Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the state cannot use that law to punish individuals who provide assistance to such voters.

The order will apply to the current primary election and the upcoming general election in November.

The case was filed on behalf of Disability Rights Mississippi and the League of Women Voters of Mississippi by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mississippi Center for 人兽性交, American Civil Liberties Union, and ACLU of Mississippi.

鈥淢ississippi voters in need of assistance to vote can be assured that their voices will be heard at the ballot box,鈥� said聽Peg Ciraldo, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Mississippi.聽鈥淭he League and its members can now continue its critical work to advocate for all voters, especially those who depend on us to return their absentee ballot.鈥�

Mississippi鈥檚 S.B. 2358 is part of a trend in laws targeting voter services organizations that assist voters, said聽Celina Stewart, chief counsel and senior director of advocacy and litigation at the League of Women Voters of the US. "We're pleased that the court here has blocked this law to protect the vital work done by organizations like the League and the voters who would be disenfranchised by preventing those organizations from assisting them.

鈥淭his is a huge win for voters in Mississippi,鈥� said聽Ming Cheung, staff attorney with the ACLU鈥檚 Voting Rights Project.聽鈥淲e are pleased that voters with a disability or language barrier can continue receiving assistance with their ballot, the same way that they have in past elections. Rather than making voting harder, Mississippi should pass legislation to expand opportunities for voting so that all citizens can participate in their democracy.鈥澛�

鈥淎ll eligible voters in Mississippi should be able to exercise their right to vote without unnecessary 鈥� and as the court found improper 鈥� impediments by the state government,鈥� said聽Joshua Tom, legal director at the ACLU of Mississippi. 鈥淭his is a win for Mississippians with disabilities and a win for voting rights.鈥�

鈥淢ississippians may now continue to assist voters without the fear of prosecution,鈥� said聽Ahmed Soussi, staff attorney with the 人兽性交鈥檚 Voting Rights Practice Group.听鈥淲e are glad that the Court recognized the federal guarantee to voters with a disability or language barrier to select a person of their choice to provide them assistance. What is important now is to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote does vote in the upcoming elections.鈥�

鈥淢ississippians deserve to vote with confidence,鈥� said聽Rob McDuff, director of the Impact Litigation Initiative at the Mississippi Center for 人兽性交. 鈥淢any people in difficult situations rely on friends and neighbors to help deliver absentee ballots. We are glad that voters with disabilities and language barriers can freely exercise their right to vote with assistance from a person of their choosing.鈥�

鈥淢ississippians with disabilities have a right to vote without barriers and to have access to fully participate in all areas of civic life,鈥� said聽Greta Kemp Martin,听litigation director of Disability Rights Mississippi.聽鈥淲e are pleased the court has recognized this and that Mississippians with disabilities can rest assured that they may cast their ballot in whichever manner is most accessible to them, including having the assistance of a person of their own choosing.鈥�

The court order can be viewed聽HERE.听

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