Statement on Alabama License Office Measure Disenfranchising Voters

Hillary Clinton released the following statement on potential voter disenfranchisement, after Alabama announced plans to close 31 driver's license offices state-wide, including in seven counties that are more than two-thirds African American. In 2011, Alabama announced that it would require photo ID to vote. A comprehensive study of more than 1 billion ballots cast nationwide found only 31 instances of possible voter fraud – a rate of .00002%.

"I strongly oppose Alabama's decision to close driver's license offices across the state, especially in counties that have a significant majority of African Americans. Just a few years ago, Alabama passed a law requiring citizens to have a photo ID to vote. Now they're shutting down places where people get those photo IDs. This is only going to make it harder for people to vote. It's a blast from the Jim Crow past.

"We're better than this. We should be encouraging more Americans to vote, not making voting harder. As President, I'll push for automatic voter registration for every American when they turn 18, and a new national standard of at least 20 days of early in-person voting in every state. And I'll work with Congress to restore key protections of the Voting Rights Act.

"African Americans fought for the right to vote in the face of unthinkable hatred. They stood up and were beaten down, marched and were turned back. Some were even killed. But in the end, the forces of justice overcame. Alabama should do the right thing. It should reverse this decision. And it should start protecting the franchise for every single voter, no matter the color of their skin."