Arab-American Civil Rights Group Says 'New Development' in Voter Suppression

The Michigan office of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee says it and other civil rights organizations will announce “new developments” in alleged voter discrimination against Arab-Americans in Dearborn Heights at a national press conference Saturday.

The news conference will be held at 1 p.m. at Dearborn Heights City Office, 6045 Fenton St., Dearborn Heights..

Last week, ADC-Michgan said it had received “credible complaints” of voter discrimination against Arab-Americans who claimed they were prevented by Dearborn Heights elections officials from casting early votes in the upcoming Aug. 5 primary before leaving on planned overseas vacations.

Dearborn Heights city officials said they would ask for state and county election officials to oversee the election, The Detroit News reports.

“I think the credibility is seriously in question,” Mayor Daniel Paletko told the newspaper after a council study session Tuesday night. “There are just too many questions being raised.”

ADC-Michigan says that in some cases, Dearborn Heights residents were told they would be “mailed” absentee ballot applications despite the fact that the residents informed city officials that “mailed” applications would be useless while they were overseas,” said Fatina Abdrabboh, an attorney and director of ADC-Michigan.

Among those who said their voting requests were initially denied was a county Homeland Security official.

Three candidates for the Michigan Legislature – Rep. David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights, a candidate for State Senate District 5; House District 11 candidate Rasheed Baydoun and House District 13 candidate Tony Trupiano – issued a joint statement saying the allegations of voter suppression have “raised the awareness of a community that continues to be prejudiced against.”

In a statement issued Friday, ADC-Michigan said that to date, many absentee voter applications of Arab-Americans have not been processed, “thus undermining their ability to seek fair representation in the upcoming elections”

“Those voter applications that have been processed are only as a result of our determined effort and public awareness campaign on the issue,” the statement continued. “The ADC-Michigan is concerned with the ability for Dearborn Heights officials to conduct a fair election amidst these developments and allegations.”

The group is demanding the city uphold Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), which allows the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure that any voting rules do not discriminate against or disenfranchise minority voters.

“There has been blatant voter discrimination in the city of Dearborn Heights,” said Abdrabboh, assessing the situation as one that :includes collusion between some members of the Dearborn Heights City Council, the City Clerk, and other officials to suppress the Arab-American vote.”

Attempts to dilute or suppress the ability of Americans to vote is “unacceptable and needs to be questioned by everyone concerned with protecting the right to vote,” she said.