Question about everybody being registered to vote.

[djean111]

I am under the impression that it is not so hard to register to vote - you can do it online in some states.
Isn't the hard part actually being allowed to vote? I read about voters being thrown off the registered voter list, about voters being challenged at the polls for "proper ID", students being told they have to go and vote in their home precinct, voting places put in hard to get to areas, that sort of thing. But I have never read that it is all that difficult to register, it is just actually getting to vote that is the problem.
What am I missing here? I don't think the GOP care if someone is registered, they just look for ways to keep people from actually voting. At least that is my impression. And allowing people to vote is more of a states' rights thing.

[yeoman6987]

1. Yep registering is a cinch

Voting....depends.

[retrowire]

2. on what?

as a potential first time voter, I'm curious!

[djean111]

4. You could get to the polling place and find that you don't have the proper ID, or find that a

postcard was supposedly sent to your address months ago, and you didn't see it, and a non-return eliminated your registration. Your name could be the same as a felon's name. Your signature could be challenged. I live in Florida - Land of Dirty Tricks to keep people from actually voting.

[retrowire]

8. is there a way to overcome these issues before voting day?

[Demeter]

11. Absentee ballots, best bet

Changing the state laws which govern voting and registration and the purging of the poll lists....


Move to Michigan! Our rules are still fair and reasonable, even though Koch Bros. tried to fix that.

We just don't have mail-in ballots, yet for all.

[djean111]

3. That's why I don't get the swooning over automatic registration. Sure, that's great! But I don't

think for a minute that red states are going to relax their methods of barring people from voting. That needs to be addressed, IMO.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Registering is generally pretty easy, but many people don't

for various reasons. Better to get them registered right away because that's the first hurdle to overcome. Then you work on fixing the access issues. I'm all in favor of automatic registration for starters.

[djean111]

6. Oh, I am too - but I suspect that is the easy part.

As I said, I live in Florida, and a LOT of registered voters are turned away at the polls, or their registrations are thrown out by the GOP-appointed elections commissioner. It is shameful, but it is reality. Maybe requiring everybody to vote would be a necessary next step.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Here in Minnesota you can register for the first time at the polls.

All you need is proof of your address, which includes a lot of things such as a drivers' license or other ID, student ID, tribal ID, or voucher of another resident. Of course the GOPers hate how easy this is and want to stop it. There are very few instances of people being turned away, and contrary to GOPer claims, voter "fraud" is virtually unheard of. This system works very well, with the result that MN has some of the best voter turnout numbers in the US, so of course they want to eliminate it - because when a lot of people vote the GOP loses.

[PADemD]

7. The GOP would not be able to interfere with mandatory voting.

[djean111]

9. Has mandatory voting been proposed?

That would be a giant and necessary next step. And would mandatory voting only be required for presidential or national elections.
the only way I think the GOP could interfere with mandatory voting is to mess with the ballots, either electronic or paper.

[Demeter]

12. I'm sure somebody would figure out a way to cock it up

America--land of the creatively corrupt.

[PADemD]

14. The responsibilities of citizenship in our country are

paying taxes
jury service
military draft registration

I think that, with exemptions for medical or mental impairment, voting in all elections should also be a citizen's responsibility.

I even think that convicted felons should be eligible to vote. They did not forfeit citizenship upon conviction.

If a voter does not like any of the candidates, then he/she can choose None of the Above.

[djean111]

13. Here is a Wiki about voter suppression - it says there is a dispute because it may not be neutral,

but I think that is a case of facts having a liberal bias.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression_in_the_United_States

[kenfrequed]

15. True.

Actually I was originally thinking universal registration is a good idea. But it doesn't actually address the problem. Good idea. But yes we need to do more.