Florida's voter purge targets 91-year-old decorated WWII vet

The voter purge that could decide this election. Gov. Rick Scott's purge of likely Democratic voters from the voting rolls is supposed to be targeted at non-citizens. It isn't.

Bill Internicola was born in Brooklyn 91 years ago. He fought in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge, and his war service earned him a Bronze Star. And this happened to him.

Three weeks ago, Bill received a letter from Broward County Florida stating '[Y]ou are not a U.S. Citizen' and therefore, ineligible to vote. He was given the option of requesting 'a hearing with the Supervisor of Elections, for the purpose of providing proof that you are a United States citizens' or forfeit his right to vote.

Like Maureen Russo before him, Internicola's only path to be able to continue to vote is attending a hearing providing proof of his citizenship. That's the case for the more than 2,600 (mostly Hispanic, Democratic and independent voters) on the purge list. These voters are already removed from the voting rolls: They have to take the time to affirmatively prove that they are eligible by providing documentation and requesting a hearing, in order to continue to vote. And they had just 30 days from receiving the letter in order to do it.

That's how Rick Scott treats a decorated veteran, prompting this statement from VoteVets.org chairman, and Iraq War veteran, Jon Soltz.

'When someone who put their life on the line to protect the right to vote from fascists and empires is denied the right to vote, and is purged from voting rolls, there is something horribly, horribly wrong. Anyone who would stand behind an action that threatens the right to vote of a WWII vet is someone I would call un-American."

The national voting rights advocacy group Advancement Project, along with four other local organizations, have requested that the state suspend the purge or face a court battle, but the state is moving forward. The Advancement Project has also requested the Department of Justice [pdf] investigate the purge and move to enjoin all of the state's 67 counties from removing the voters. The National Voter Registration Act that prohibits states from purging voter rolls in a 90-day window before a federal election. Florida's primary is August 14, and it has missed its deadline.

Join these advocacy efforts on behalf of Mr. Internicola and all the Florida voters being stripped of their vote. Sign the petition asking the Department of Justice to prevent Florida's planned voter roll purge.