Deceptive Electoral Reform
Issue: Expanding Democracy
Target Level of Office: State
Policy Origin: Wisconsin State Legislature
Poilcy/Bill Number: Senate Bill 616
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=252
YEO Sponsor:
Rep. Mandela Barnes
Summary Narrative of the Policy: This bill prohibits any person from knowingly providing false
election-related information to an individual with the intent to induce an individual to refrain
from registering to vote or from voting at an election.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• Deceptive practices are intentional disseminations of false or misleading information
about the voting process in order to prevent an eligible voter from casting a ballot, such
as providing misinformation about when and where to vote.
• Misinformation on electoral logistics, eligibility, and process is often spread through
robocalls and flyers, mailers, and/or billboards and disproportionately disenfranchise
people of color.
• According to a report by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law about the
2012 Presidential Election, voters in recent elections in New York, Colorado, Virginia,
Florida, and New Mexico reported receiving harassing robocalls falsely claiming to be
from one of the candidates running for office and notifying voters that their registrations
were cancelled and that if they tried to vote they would be arrested.
• According to another report by Common Cause about the 2012 Election, voters in
Arlington, Accomack, Augusta, and Northampton counties in Virginia reported receiving
phone calls on Election Day saying voters would be arrested if they attempted to vote on
Election Day or that their polling locations had been moved.
86
State Level
Policy
2014 Book