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| Yes | 55% | 6 votes | Total: 11 votes | |
| No | 45% | 5 votes |
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Add to FavoritesShould all states offer same-day voter registration? I know it is bad form to answer a question with a question. But starting a sentence with the word "but" isn't quite correct and yet we do it anyway so here goes my question to your question "Why not?"
There is something distinctively American about not always giving a damn about form. We are a country that value function over form. We are certainly not void of culture nor are we incapable of cultivating some appreciation for the aesthetic we just value function over form.
Because we are Americans I pose the question; Why not offer same-day voter registration? Ok, so it breaks from tradition and form, but what a celebration of function and efficiency. We certainly have the technology to manage it and it would help to reflect the true picture of American opinion. I don't have to quote statistics for you to agree that most of us Americans are hardworking, busy people who can hardly find time to take care of ourselves. Being able to register and vote same day will capture a great number of voters who are so busy that we sometime miss our voter registration deadline.
There are those of us who may say what about people procrastinating and waiting until the last minute creating long lines and confusion'. Allow me to remind you that our men and women oversee don't fight for some Americans to vote and not others. Our troops fight for all of us to vote, the old, down trodden, late, procrastinators, almost doers .all of us even if it is a late vote.
In the United States of America our collective values hold our children, our flag, constitution, country and God above all else. We protect these values with our faith, our diplomacy, our military and above all these, with our right to vote.
Now, not all of us use our right to vote but we value the right to vote at any time. I am sure you will agree that it is wonderful feeling to cast a vote, in that little both, in that little room, in that little town that affects the whole nation and ultimately the whole world.
Every vote counts and so I ask the question; Why not?
Thank You for your attention.
Learn more about this author, Ian Mckenzie.
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No
While same-day registration offers convenience to the voter, it offers controversy to the public. By examining the reasons behind voter registration laws, the obvious answer is that same-day voter registration undermines the election process.
To exercise the American Constitutional right to vote, one must be a lawful citizen of the United States and in the jurisdiction of the voting precinct. One must also be registered to vote prior to the election, in some states as many as 60 days in advance.
The necessity of pre-registering to vote is to enable election commissioners ample time to examine the voter and verify any obstacle to the exercise of the right to vote. This also prepares the voter to take his decisions in the voting booth very seriously.
Pre-regist ration requires that the voter appear in person with identification sufficient to establish identity, citizenship and residence.
This verification includes confirming the residential address of the voter, establishing no legal prohibition to the voter and removing the voter from any prior registration.
A voter registration confirmation is sent to the voter with delivery restrictions to confirm the physical residence address. This clears the second hurdle to exercising the right to vote.
Based on the identification provide at pre-registration, the commissioner is charged with finding any impediment to the applicant's right to vote. These include, but are not limited to, felony convictions, certain fiduciary convictions and previous conviction for election related crimes, whether felony or misdemeanor.
Most states require this background check be run a minimum of twice. By double-checking, the commissioner can verify his own findings or discover impediments which may not have existed at the first check.
If legal impediments are found, the commissioner is required to notify the applicant that his right to vote has been revoked and provide a contact for more information.
When the applicant has a clean slate and is eligible to vote, the commissioner must remove the voter's name from all other voter registries to prevent possible election fraud resulting from voting in more than one precinct.
Voters should not view voting as a means to voice a daily opinion. Elections and campaigns are designed to provide voters with a lot of information to process in order to make the most informed, best decision possible.
If a voter cannot take the time to think ahead about how important his decision will be, then how much thought will go into his vote?
Pre-registratio n has a firm basis in preventing election fraud and insuring that those without the right to vote never enter a voting booth. Same-day registration is neither as thorough nor as thought-provoking as pre-registering to vote.
Learn more about this author, Ann Marie Dwyer.
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