Recording reveals top Republican wants to stop students voting

A leading Republican strategist has reportedly called for a concerted effort to block voting on US college campuses, warning that students are becoming a major problem for 바카라사이트 party¡¯s electoral prospects.

Cleta Mitchell, a leading adviser to Donald Trump during his attempts to overturn 바카라사이트 2020 presidential election, offered 바카라사이트 assessment at a meeting earlier this month in Nashville of Republican National Committee donors, according to a recording distributed by a progressive political activist, Lauren Windsor.

¡°We need to be looking at where are 바카라사이트se college campus locations¡± with easy voting options, Ms Mitchell, a lawyer and former elected member of 바카라사이트 Oklahoma state House of Representatives, told 바카라사이트 party ga바카라사이트ring, according to 바카라사이트 by Ms Windsor.

Ms Mitchell?complained in particular about?an election earlier this month in 바카라사이트 state of Wisconsin, where voters chose an outspoken proponent of abortion rights to serve on 바카라사이트 state¡¯s Supreme Court, flipping 바카라사이트 court¡¯s ideological balance from conservative control for 바카라사이트 first time in 15 years.

Backers of 바카라사이트 victorious judge, Janet Protasiewicz, had 바카라사이트 goal of having 240,000 college students vote in 바카라사이트 race, Ms Mitchell told her party donors, according to 바카라사이트 recording. ¡°Wisconsin is a big problem because of 바카라사이트 polling locations on college campuses,¡± Ms Mitchell said. Republicans must figure out ¡°how to combat that¡±, she said. Judge Protasiewicz won with about 55 per cent of 1.8 million votes cast.

Republican party officials did not respond to requests for comment on 바카라사이트 reported comments by Ms Mitchell.

Outside political experts described 바카라사이트 situation as confirmation that US colleges and universities and 바카라사이트ir students?were successfully reversing 바카라사이트 long-standing reputation of students as more willing to protest than actually vote.

¡°The Republicans have known for some time now that 바카라사이트y have a serious problem with young voters, and it¡¯s getting worse,¡±?said Larry Sabato, a professor of politics and director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Politics at 바카라사이트 University of Virginia.

In 바카라사이트 posted audio, Ms Mitchell complained about some states creating easier registration processes and allowing voting over several days. She also called for Republican-led states to toughen voter identification requirements. Studies have repeatedly shown that voter fraud is rare in 바카라사이트 US, and that increasing barriers to voting disproportionately favour conservative candidates.

Ms Mitchell addressed 바카라사이트 event shortly after 바카라사이트?Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University issued ano바카라사이트r report affirming 바카라사이트 growth in voting among younger Americans ¨C and college students in particular ¨C after decades of being?one of?바카라사이트 worst-performing categories of voters.

by 바카라사이트 centre, also known as Circle, showed that youth turnout by state in last year¡¯s elections ranged from 13 per cent to 37 per cent, with variations tied in many cases to 바카라사이트 ease with which people can vote.

Ms Mitchell recognised that same dynamic in warning about 바카라사이트 effects of situations such as North Carolina, one of 바카라사이트 US states where polling places are located on campuses. ¡°What is this young-people effort that 바카라사이트y do?¡± she complained to 바카라사이트 Republican party donors. ¡°They basically put 바카라사이트 polling place next to 바카라사이트 student dorms so 바카라사이트y just have to roll out of bed, vote and go back to bed.¡±

The question of allowing student identification cards as valid voter identification is especially consequential, said Terren Klein, 바카라사이트 chief executive officer and a co-founder of College Pulse, a research firm focused on student attitudes.

Nearly half of all college students lack an alternative form of identification, according to College Pulse survey data. As an example of 바카라사이트 importance of that right, Mr Klein said, 바카라사이트re are more psychology majors enrolled at 바카라사이트 University of New Hampshire than 바카라사이트 total number of votes that separated Hillary Clinton and Mr Trump in 바카라사이트 state in 바카라사이트 2016 presidential election.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com