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! style="padding:2px;" | <h2 style="margin:3px; background:#2966B8; font-size:140%; font-weight:bold; text-align:left; color:#FFFFFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Efforts to limit democratic participation, facilitate big money in politics, and override the federal government</h2>
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| style="color:#000000; font-size:120%; padding:0 0.75em;" |[[File:votesquare.png|100px|left|alt=Democracy, Voter Rights, and Federal Power]]'''This page shows how ALEC bills or resolutions would disenfranchise Americans and give corporations even more power to use their vast financial resources to influence elections in our democracy.''' These "model bills" include the infamous "Voter ID" bills pushed through this year by new governors, many of whom have ties to ALEC.<br> '''Through ALEC, corporations have both a VOICE and a VOTE on specific state laws affecting your voting rights and elections through these model bills. ''Do you?'' '''
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! style="padding:2px;" | <h2 style="margin:3px; background:#000000; font-size:140%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">How do these bills limit democratic participation?</h2>
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<big>'''These bills limit the democratic influence of average Americans in favor of corporations by:'''</big><br>
* [http://alecexposed.org/w/images/d/d9/7G16-VOTER_ID_ACT_Exposed.pdf Disenfranchising disabled, low-income, elderly, people-of-color, and student voters] who move more frequently or do not drive, by requiring all voters show a state ID at the polls -- even though counties have traditionally accepted other proofs of residence without any significant problems.
| style="text-align:center;" |{{#widget:YouTube|id=nAE_ceycCAA|width=230|height=202}}
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| style="color:#000000; padding:0 0.75em;" |Watch [[John Nichols Discusses ALEC|John Nichols]], writer for ''The Nation'' magazine, discuss ALEC and the corporate efforts to undermine democracy.
Watch other ALEC Exposed experts [[ALEC Exposed Audio & Video|here]].<br>
! style="padding:2px;" | <h2 style="margin:3px; background:#000000; font-size:140%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">READ the "Model Bills" HERE</h2>
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| style="color:#000000; padding:0 0.75em;" |[[Image:Point.png|left|70px]][[media:Democracy,_Voter_Rights_and_Federal_Power.zip|<big>Click here for a zip file of '''Democracy, Voter Rights and Federal Power''' bills</big>]]
Looking for the resolution voted on by ALEC politicians and corporations in favor of the Supreme Court's decision in the "Citizens United" case? It's [http://alecexposed.org/w/images/7/7a/7G4-Resolution_in_Support_of_the_Citizens_United_Decision_Exposed.pdf here.]
! style="padding:2px;" | <h2 style="margin:3px; background:#000000; font-size:140%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">ALEC Inspired Voter Suppression Measures Take Off</h2>
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| style="color:#000000; padding:0 0.75em;" |After Barack Obama swept into office in November of 2008 with the energized support of youth and African Americans, suddenly "voter fraud" became a deep concern for many in the Republican party -- despite no evidence fraud occurred in any statistically significant way. When Republicans emerged from the November 2010 elections with new majorities in statehouses across the country, a total of [ [http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/voter_id 37 states] saw strict voter ID laws introduced in 2011 and 2012. Many of those proposals contained elements of the ALEC "model" voter ID act, which imposes new burdens on the right to vote by requiring voters show state-issued ID cards that [http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/voter_id approximately 11 percent] of voting-age American citizens do not possess. That number is even higher for students, African Americans, low-income, and older citizens. Though the ALEC "model" provides for free ID cards, the Brennan Center for Justice [http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/the_challenge_of_obtaining_voter_identification/ has found] that the process of obtaining an ID presents significant difficulties, with voters lacking access to transportation, living dozens of miles from the nearest ID-issuing office (many of which have irregular and limited hours), and facing costs and headaches in obtaining supporting documentation like birth certificates. Additionally, the in-person voter fraud these laws might prevent happens at an infinitesimally small rate -- meaning that on balance, the purported benefits of the law (stopping voter fraud) do not outweigh the costs of disenfranchising as many as 21 million American citizens.
Photo voter ID bills were signed into law in eight states — Alabama, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania — and passed by referendum in Mississippi. Additionally, Minnesota's legislature approved a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to require ID at the polls.
