A report has uncovered that millions of voters, the largest group being African Americans, will be banned from voting because of an obscure 19th century rule.
A independant commission also found that black voters were 10 times more likely to have their ballots rejected in the 2000 election in the state of Florida.
The African American vote is known to be overwhelmingly Democratic.
'The largest category of those legally disenfranchised consists of almost 5 million former felons who have served prison sentences and been deprived of the right to vote under laws that have roots in the post-Civil War 19th century and were aimed at preventing black Americans from voting.
But millions of other votes in the 2000 presidential election were lost due to clerical and administrative errors while civil rights organizations have cataloged numerous tactics aimed at suppressing black voter turnout. Polls consistently find that black Americans overwhelmingly vote for Democrats.'
Stacking the cards
EDIT: spelling