Election Jamming Prevention Act of 2006

The most fundamental right accorded to United States citizens by the Constitution is the right to vote, and unimpeded exercise of the right to vote is essential to the functioning of our democracy.

Historically, significant efforts have been undertaken to prevent qualified individuals from exercising this right.

Poll taxes, property requirements, and literacy tests were once used to restrict voters' access to the polls. Now, efforts like deceptive practices, intimidation, and dirty tricks are used to impede qualified voters' exercise of their right to vote, to prevent voters from making informed decisions as to how to cast that vote, and to prevent candidates, parties, and organizations from engaging in constitutionally protected political speech.

In recent elections, there have been allegations of political campaigns and committees using telephone jamming techniques to shut down the communication operations of groups supporting their political opponents.

In November 2002, according to the Department of Justice, groups working on behalf of the Republican candidates in New Hampshire conspired to shut down Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts by placing hang-up calls to the phones of the Manchester Democratic Party and the Manchester Professional Firefighters Association, which were providing qualified voters rides to the election polling places. Several people have pled guilty or been convicted in connection with the incident.

As a result of the hang-up call effort, the phone lines of the Manchester Democratic Party and the Manchester Professional Firefighters Association were jammed on election day 2002 and qualified voters were unable to access information that would have facilitated their access to polling places.

The use of telephones or other communication devices to jam election-related communications should be prohibited in order to protect qualified voters' right to vote.