The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Thursday alleging the Maryland Transit Administration has unconstitutionally blocked voter registration drives for low-income residents near its bus stops.
The Baltimore City Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now attempted to hold voter-registrationdrives but was denied permits, said Sonja Merchant-Jones, chairwoman of the city?s community activist group.
“People who rely on public transportation often find it difficult to register to vote at county election offices,” Merchant-Jones said. “Harassing ACORN workers and threatening to arrest them for educating people and registering them to vote is wrong and unconstitutional.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore City, alleges the MTA violated the U.S. Constitution?s first amendment during drives held by ACORN and its partner, Project Vote.
In March and April, officers threatened ACORN activists with arrest and blocked them from distributing literature and registering voters on public sidewalks near bus stops in Baltimore City, according to the lawsuit.
MTA officials told the activists that time-limited permits were required for each activist, each day and each MTA location, the lawsuit states.
ACORN activists secured permits in early April. But later, MTA officials notified ACORN that they would never again be able to obtain permits to register voters or engage in any “free speech” activity near MTA property.
“It is a sad day when government officials block citizens from registering and educating voters rather than supporting efforts to foster participation in our democracy,” said Deborah Jeon, legal director of the ACLU of Maryland.
The ACLU takes issue with an MTA regulation that requires any person who wishes to engage in “any manner of exercising constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of religion, speech, and press” on MTA property “to first obtain a written permit.”
Officials from the Maryland chapter of the ACLU say they wrote letters to the MTA about the policy, but were rebuffed.
The MTA has not yet been served with the suit and does not comment on pending legal matters, a spokeswoman said.
