SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown is sounding the alarm about what he says is an attempt to suppress the African American vote. He used a weekend conference in San Francisco of the black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha to rally people to the polls.

Brown pointed to a call in Florida for picture identification at polling stations as evidence of the efforts to suppress the African American vote.

“There are 20 other states similarly situated and all geared to the idea of making sure that there is a reduction in the vote in black communities,” he told members of Alpha Kappa Alpha attending the Moscone Center conference.

KCBS’ Tim Ryan Reports:

“As an organization, you should be very much a part of the group of voices that are raising concerns about the unfairness and the racism associated with that action,” he said.

But, there’s a way around the issues, said Brown – urging the mostly young women to vote by mail and to organize vote by mail campaigns at their churches.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)