How Alabama blocked a man from voting because he owed $4

Date
Publication
The Guardian
Expert

Tucker, who relies in part on disability income, borrowed money from his sister to pay off the debt. But just when he thought it was settled, a courthouse clerk told him he owed money for another decades-old criminal offense – an additional $5,535.47 which she said he had to pay back to gain back his vote. Faced with the staggering amount, Tucker contacted Blair Bowie, an attorney at Campaign Legal Center, a Washington DC voting rights group. It took Bowie 15 minutes to realize Alabama officials made a huge mistake. “What is voter suppression if not officials wrongly telling you that you can’t vote?” Bowie said. 

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