Hmong leaders of our Justice for Veterans campaign know the extreme and painful impacts of being excluded from American society. We value inclusion and dignity for all people and believe that any policy that makes it harder for anyone to participate directly attacks the basic rights and principles our people fought to protect back in Laos. That, in a nutshell, is why we are fighting to defeat the Voter Restriction Amendment.
But the list of ways this amendment would make it harder for the Hmong community to vote goes on and on.
Elders don’t typically have current IDs. They simply don’t drive, smoke, drink alcohol, go to the movies, have credit cards, or use checking accounts. They also speak very little English and would need translation and transportation support to renew IDs. Not to mention, retrieving original birth documents from Laos and refugee camps that you need to get an ID would be close to impossible.
Our grandmas and grandpas already face challenges in getting to the polls. But as they fought in Laos to create a better world for younger generations, they consistently turn out to vote in America to do the same.
They are often able to vote because of our excellent Election Day registration system, which makes up for insufficient translation and transportation support before elections. This amendment would end this system as we know it, creating yet another barrier to Hmong elders voting.
The Voter Restriction amendment is complicated and an unnecessary overhaul to Minnesota’s first in the nation, election system. While thousands of Hmong families struggle to avoid the threat of foreclosure, this amendment creates another unfunded mandate that will be financed with property tax increases.
Justice for Veteran leaders refuse to let our elders’ sacrifices be in vain. It is terrifying to imagine thousands of our community, along with hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans, losing their political voice and not being able to participate in our democracy. We need to protect the basic right our soldiers and brave Americans through history shed blood for.
Liz Xiong
Liz is leading our Justice For Veterans campaign and is an organizer on the fight to defeat the Voter Restriction Amendment.
