McEachin and Nadler Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Protections Against Misinformation and Intimidation in Federal Elections
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) and Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) introduced the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Act of 2019. This legislation would impose penalties on those who knowingly spread false information or use abusive or deceptive practices to manipulate or influence a federal election. Congressman McEachin and Chairman Nadler were joined by more than 50 of their colleagues in introducing this legislation. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a similar version of the bill in the Senate.
“A citizen’s ability to vote is an essential part of a well-functioning democracy,” said Congressman A. Donald McEachin. “Unfortunately, all too often, we have witnessed attempts to mislead or outright lie to voters about voting. In recent elections, we have seen numerous misinformation campaigns and intimidation tactics, including calls to voters claiming they are no longer registered to vote, online graphics spreading false information about election day, and reports of people standing outside polling places with barking dogs. This is unacceptable, and it is clear we need protections against attempts to fraudulently influence our democracy. I am proud to introduce this legislation to help protect voters and combat those who seek to improperly influence our elections.”
“Voting is one of the fundamental pillars of democracy,” said Chairman Nadler. “Although we have come a long way since the horrors of the past where African Americans were blatantly prohibited from voting based on the color of their skin, modern day tactics to stifle the vote and prevent minorities from having their voices heard persist. I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation that will mitigate these deceptive practices and help protect the vote for every American.”
“The use of deceptive practices and voter intimidation tactics are not new, but technology has brought such activity online and made it harder to trace the culprits. Reliably, these tactics seem to target minority neighborhoods and are blatant attempts to reduce turnout,” said Senator Cardin. “Voting forms the bedrock of our democracy, so we should all want to encourage greater participation in our electoral system – not less. Congress must take action to combat deceptive practices designed to stop Americans from exercising their right to vote.”
"Our country is stronger when more people participate in our democracy. While we have made important progress in protecting the right to vote, there are still people working to disenfranchise Americans, especially minorities,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Foreign adversaries and those here at home who are working to block people from the ballot box have developed new tactics to intimidate voters and spread deceptive information about elections. This bill would ensure that those who seek to undermine the integrity of our elections by deceiving voters face consequences.”
This bill would prohibit efforts to willfully spread misinformation about the timing, polling locations, general voter eligibility requirements, or procedures of federal elections for the purpose of manipulating or influencing the electoral process. The bill would likewise prohibit disinformation regarding political endorsements or an individual’s eligibility to vote, and it would forbid intentional efforts to “hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from voting, registering to vote, or aiding another person to vote or register to vote.” Violators would face a fine of up to $100,000, a prison sentence of up to 5 years, or both.
The two Congressmen introduced a similar version of the bill last Congress.
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Contact: Ariana Valderrama
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