Getting Out The Vote
Low voter turnout is one of the more embarrassing aspects of our democracy. One state, however, has been working hard to change that. Minnesota, which leads the US in voter turnout, has put into place several techniques for making it easier to vote, including election-day registration. Now, a new proposal has been submitted to the Minnesota legislature to improve turn-out figures even more. From yesterday's Star Tribune:
Anyone eligible to vote who has a driver's license or a state ID card would be automatically registered under a controversial proposal emerging at the Capitol that would give Minnesota the most expansive voter registration law in the nation.
Granting automatic voting status to drivers, a step that no other state has taken, would put on the voting rolls as many as 500,000 people who are not registered now.
Amazingly, the state's Republicans are opposed to the proposal.
"We already have probably the most liberal voting laws in the nation and the highest turnout and no problems with being too restrictive," said state Republican Party chairman Ron Carey. "Our focus should be on education and security and integrity. Quality, not quantity, should be the goal." [Emphasis added]
Huh? The "quality" of a vote is more important? Or is it the "quality" of the voter Mr. Carey is concerned about? The state official responsible for the elections had the appropriate response.
Ritchie brushed aside those criticisms, saying his proposal would streamline election records and help county election officials save money. Making sure everyone eligible to vote does so tops his agenda, he said.
"It is absolutely true that I believe every eligible citizen should have no barriers at all in their way," Ritchie said. "The argument that some citizens are not worthy enough or not smart enough is as un-American as I can imagine."
Mr. Ritchie pointed out that Minnesota drivers' licenses already note the non-citizenship status of the holder, and his proposal also would include safeguards against minors, incarcerated felons, and other ineligible to vote being registered. He's even found a way to re-register voters who move:
Ritchie also is pushing for automatic re-registration for voters who change addresses, by linking to U.S. Postal Service databases. In all, about a half-dozen proposals that would broaden access to voting are coming before the Legislature.
And the result of making it easier for Minnesotans to vote is astounding. Check out these figures:
In the 2004 presidential election, Minnesota led the nation with a turnout of 77.7 percent. In the 2006 midterm election, turnout was 59.5 percent, still tops in the country. Some 292,000 voters, 13 percent of the total, registered on Election Day.
Other states would do well to consider those proposals already implemented and those under consideration in Minnesota. Those proposals have obviously been successful
Anyone eligible to vote who has a driver's license or a state ID card would be automatically registered under a controversial proposal emerging at the Capitol that would give Minnesota the most expansive voter registration law in the nation.
Granting automatic voting status to drivers, a step that no other state has taken, would put on the voting rolls as many as 500,000 people who are not registered now.
Amazingly, the state's Republicans are opposed to the proposal.
"We already have probably the most liberal voting laws in the nation and the highest turnout and no problems with being too restrictive," said state Republican Party chairman Ron Carey. "Our focus should be on education and security and integrity. Quality, not quantity, should be the goal." [Emphasis added]
Huh? The "quality" of a vote is more important? Or is it the "quality" of the voter Mr. Carey is concerned about? The state official responsible for the elections had the appropriate response.
Ritchie brushed aside those criticisms, saying his proposal would streamline election records and help county election officials save money. Making sure everyone eligible to vote does so tops his agenda, he said.
"It is absolutely true that I believe every eligible citizen should have no barriers at all in their way," Ritchie said. "The argument that some citizens are not worthy enough or not smart enough is as un-American as I can imagine."
Mr. Ritchie pointed out that Minnesota drivers' licenses already note the non-citizenship status of the holder, and his proposal also would include safeguards against minors, incarcerated felons, and other ineligible to vote being registered. He's even found a way to re-register voters who move:
Ritchie also is pushing for automatic re-registration for voters who change addresses, by linking to U.S. Postal Service databases. In all, about a half-dozen proposals that would broaden access to voting are coming before the Legislature.
And the result of making it easier for Minnesotans to vote is astounding. Check out these figures:
In the 2004 presidential election, Minnesota led the nation with a turnout of 77.7 percent. In the 2006 midterm election, turnout was 59.5 percent, still tops in the country. Some 292,000 voters, 13 percent of the total, registered on Election Day.
Other states would do well to consider those proposals already implemented and those under consideration in Minnesota. Those proposals have obviously been successful
Labels: Elections
posted by Diane at 10:52 AM
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