This morning’s New York Times reports on efforts of Republicans in pivotal swing states to embrace “significant new electoral restrictions on registering and voting” that go beyond voter ID laws. Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, North Carolina, and other states controlled by Republicans are limiting the time polls are open, cutting into weekend voting, sharply reducing the number of early voting days, doing away with registering and voting on the same day, excluding student and state-worker IDs, reducing or eliminating absentee voting, and/or requiring proof of citizenship. Republicans say the rules help prevent fraud. Baloney. Voter fraud is almost non-existent. They’re intended to reduce voting by the poor, blacks, Latinos, and young people – who vote Democratic. What should be done? In the short term, the Justice Department must prosecute these states, showing the discriminatory effects of these measures. But the real solution is uniform national standards for federal elections allowing voters to provide any method of identification, guaranteeing same-day registration and early and absentee voting, and making Election Day run from noon Saturday to noon Sunday rather than Tuesdays when most people work. What’s your solution?
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:38:04 +0000