It should come as no surprise that Latino and black congress members are severely underrepresented in the seven states listed by The Cook Political Report as “toss-ups.” It should also come as no surprise that there are a projected 2 million fewer black registered voters this election cycle than in 2008, which presents a challenge to President Barack Obama who attracted a strong turnout among black and Latino voters in then key swing states, including Virginia and New Mexico.
While President Obama and his opponent Mitt Romney have been courting voters in the battleground states, there have been some people reaching into their deep pockets in a covert attempt to intimidate, disenfranchise and suppress black and Latino voters. Over 100 anonymous billboards have surfaced in urban areas in battleground states, Ohio (60) and Wisconsin (85). Bearing a picture of a judge’s gavel, the signs note that voter fraud is a felony, punishable by up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Here, we’ve identified the swing states with black and Latino members of Congress, if any, and the states’ coveted number of electoral votes.
