FW: Request for RCV Senior Assessment Study to Co-Sponsors of the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021

[rbob.king]

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S10, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: "rbob.king" <rbob...@comcast.net>

Date: 8/21/21 10:00 AM (GMT-05:00)

To: David Preston <david_...@uhc.com>

Subject: FW: Request for RCV Senior Assessment Study to Co-Sponsors of the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021

Fyi

Bob 

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S10, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: "rbob.king" <rbob...@comcast.net>

Date: 8/20/21 4:56 PM (GMT-05:00)

To: "rbob.king" <rbob...@comcast.net>

Subject: FW: Request for RCV Senior Assessment Study to Co-Sponsors of the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021

Fyi

Bob 

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S10, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: ROBERT KING <rbob...@comcast.net>

Date: 8/20/21 12:02 PM (GMT-05:00)

To: jlewis...@dccouncil.us, Charles Allen <cal...@dccouncil.us>, chend...@dccouncil.us, mc...@dccouncil.us, esilv...@dccouncil.us, bna...@dccouncil.us, Brooke Pinto <bpi...@dccouncil.us>

Cc: "McDuffie, Kenyan (Council)" <kmcd...@dccouncil.us>, rwh...@dccouncil.us, abo...@dccouncil.us, vg...@dccouncil.us, pmend...@dccouncil.us, twh...@dccouncil.us, Malik.W...@dc.gov, nokomis...@dc.gov

Subject: Request for RCV Senior Assessment Study to Co-Sponsors of the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021

Greetings Co-Sponsors of RCV Bill - VOICE Amendment Act of 2021,

The Ward 5 Democrats voted unanimously to support a senior impact assessment study that was presented by the Ward 5 Democrats Senior COVID-19 Commission, which I have the honor of serving as chair. Please see attached! The request for the senior impact assessment study was first sent to CM McDuffie and CM Bonds on April 1, 2021, who are both residents of Ward 5. Thereafter, the request was then sent to all council-members on April 23, 2021. One of our main concerns about RCV is the ability of our seniors to understand the process of RCV. The assessment study is critical in measuring their ability to comprehend and complete a RCV ballot. Moreover, the senior assessment study should be completed before we prioritize outreach to seniors, which is indicated in the RCV bill on page 7 line 149(D). In 2020, the seniors of Fort Lincoln struggled with having two names on the General Election ballot, but the RCV ballot will have five candidates. Even more, beginning in 2022 all DC registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot, so we need to move swiftly to ensure that our seniors are prepared for RCV. Thus, the assessment study should be conducted in the Fort Lincoln Community of Ward 5. As you may know,  Ft Lincoln is home to the largest population of seniors living anywhere in the city.  In addition, there are over 300 seniors living in their homes, and of the 144 precincts city-wide, precinct 139 of Ft. Lincoln is unique. You must live in Ft. Lincoln to vote in Ft. Lincoln. Moreover, Ward 5 has the highest number of senior buildings citywide with 17 buildings and over 2,000 apartment units. There are 44,789 seniors who are 60 and older in Ward 5. 54% of seniors in DC live alone, while the national average is only 14%. These are critical stats to show evidence that we must provide a RCV impact assessment study to ensure that seniors in DC are ready for this monumental shift in our voting system, which is scheduled to take place in 2023/24. 

As a cosponsor to the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021, I wanted to send this request specifically to each of you. The definition of a cosponsor is to demonstrate its support among members and to improve its chances of passage. It is my understanding that CM Charles Allen - Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, CM Brooke Pinto, and CM Mary Cheh are a majority of the committee and also cosponsors of the RCV bill. Congresswoman Eleanor Norton Holmes had over (200) cosponsors for her Statehood Bill, and without those cosponsors the Statehood Bill would not have passed the 117th Congress in 2021. This is evidence that your support and continued support is critical to the passage of the VOICE Amendment Act of 2021. Therefore, there should be no committee discussion or vote on the bill until the results from a senior impact assessment study are completed.

 

If by chance RCV is implemented prior to informing and educating our seniors, who are the most vulnerable, stable, and reliable voting population in the District of Columbia and country, that would lead to the greatest voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and marginalization since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

 

Please contact me via email or phone number: 202-427-2655. 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

Robert "Bob" King