WS Chronicle

The Wake Forest University Black Law Students Association (BLSA) will host a Voter Rights Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2400 Dellabrook Road.

With the near-change in voter identification laws in North Carolina, organizers say that the forum will serve as a tool to educate the community about their rights as voters, voter protection and what to do in cases of voter fraud.

Voter identification laws were passed as early as 2003, but momentum for more stringent voter laws has picked up in recent years. Thirty-four states have introduced bills requiring voters to show identification, and 30 states have enacted some form of voter identification law. Additionally, other issues such as convicted felon voting, first-time voting and absentee voting have kept minorities away from the polls. These issues and many others will be discussed at the forum.

The forum will include presentations about voter rights and an interactive question and answer period with panelists. The panel will include Linda Sutton of the Forsyth County Board of Elections, Katie O’Connor of the Advancement Project, Forsyth County District Judge Denise Hartsfield and Colin Crawford, regional voter protection director with the Obama reelection campaign.