Claiming our right to vote
Published August 12, 2016
By Tom Campbell
by Tom Campbell, Executive Producer and Moderator, NC SPIN, August 11, 2016.
With fewer than 90 days before the November 8th elections it is fitting to consider who can and will vote and what can be done to encourage voter turnout.
Article VI of the North Carolina Constitution speaks to who can vote. Any natural born or naturalized citizen over 18 who has resided in our state for more than one year and in the voting district 30 days prior to an election is entitled to vote in any election in our state. The Constitution further stipulates that the General Assembly can enact laws governing the registration of eligible voters, providing that they must be able to read and write any section of the Constitution in the English language. It disqualifies convicted felons from registering.
Our legislature passed sweeping election reform laws in 2013 requiring, among other things, voter identification. It eliminated same-day voting, out-of-precinct voting and reduced the number of days for early voting. Legal challenges to these reforms are ongoing, however recent federal court rulings overturned most of them on the grounds they restricted voting, especially among minority groups.
Who will vote is another matter. In North Carolina only 65 percent of registered voters have cast ballots in recent presidential election years, far better than the national average, where only 53.6 percent of eligible citizens voted in 2012. Those who vote in lower percentages tend to be younger, earn lower incomes and are immigrants and minorities.
In the most recent CNN program, Fareed Zakaria Global Public Square, Zakaria reported Turkey has an 84 percent turnout, Belgium scores 87 percent and 90 percent of eligible citizens in Australia vote. They are among the 26 nations where voting is compulsory; those failing to cast ballots are subject to fines. Research indicates citizens in these nations are better informed about candidates and issues.
Zakaria postulated that perhaps it is time to consider compulsory voting in America. The backlash to this proposal was immediate and negative from those saying the last thing our country needs is another government mandate. While compulsory voting might improve participation it is problematic that Congress would ever pass such a proposal. Nevertheless, we should consider what could be done to improve voting percentages.
One simple first step would be to follow Oregon’s example by automatically registering someone to vote when they obtain a driver’s license, register for government assistance or get a state ID.
Why do we vote on Tuesdays, when most have to work? This archaic 1845 law ruled out Sundays because it was the Sabbath day and Wednesdays because it was market day. In that era it took most of a day to travel to and from polling locations so Tuesday was chosen. Why not change Election Day to Saturdays when more people aren’t working? We could experiment with options like allowing workers a half day off from jobs, providing free transportation to the polls or even giving incentives, like a tax credit. We could try online voting and other innovations.
There are some who appear to want to keep others away from the polls but we fought to get the right to vote and we should fight just as hard to encourage maximum voter participation. The best choices are made when the most voices are heard.
August 12, 2016 at 8:27 pm
Tom I Davis, Jr says:
Thanks for your words in support of encouraging people to vote. It appears the federal court agrees. Shame on our legislature for their continued efforts to stifle democracy in this state. There are at least two people in Pamlico County who agree with you. See you at Paul's Produce!
Tom and Carolyn Davis
Merritt
August 13, 2016 at 12:43 am
Dennis Devenport says:
The KEY word here is LEGAL resident. Immigrants that are legal can vote.
August 13, 2016 at 11:32 am
Norm Kelly says:
'We could experiment with options like allowing workers a half day off from jobs, providing free transportation to the polls or even giving incentives, like a tax credit. We could try online voting and other innovations.'
Or we could start with comparing LEGAL voting laws in other states with the outrageously lax voting laws in NC. We could go further by finally stop allowing libs to claim that NC blacks are less sophisticated, less capable, more easily confused than blacks anywhere else in the nation. We could start calling out libs for being the racist thugs they are. We could start by ignoring the blatherings of libs when it comes to gerrymandering. We could start by remembering that libs LOVE and SUPPORT gerrymandering while they are in power, but hate gerrymandering when they are placed in the minority BY VOTERS!
So, let's get some facts out. Something lib media allies aren't willing to do.
NC voting laws, even after the recent changes, were still more liberal than voting laws in many other states, including those ruled by color-blind but racist libs. Our early voting laws remained more liberal after the changes than in many lib-ruled states, yet for some reason libs claimed our law targeted hapless blacks. Why is it libs claim blacks need their help when libs want votes, but claim blacks are helpless when trying to prove Republicans are the racists? Once again, when it comes to race and buying black votes, libs PROVE they are the real racists. Once again libs prove that they are guilty of what they claim their opponents do.
As for same day registration: if you can't get registered the other 364 days, you should NOT be allowed to register AND VOTE at the voting booth. You either register at the voting booth and your VOTE DOES NOT COUNT FOR THIS ELECTION, or you get your butt to the registration location the other 364 days! If the reverend buffet slayer were really interested in making sure his helpless, hapless, less sophisticated, obviously under-educated simple minded flock were able to vote, he would be helping them get to the registration location, get to the polls, and be educated on the FACTS of the election. Instead, the rev plays the race card and claims his flock of followers really are less sophisticated, more easily confused, less capable than the average American. Why do no libs call out hypocrites such as the rev? Why are all libs allowed off the hook so easily? When was the last time ANY lib referred to the demon nominee for president as a LIAR? When was the last time ANY lib called out Roy for not doing his job?
How about we start with educating the populace about the real FACTS of election law? How about we stop carrying water for the socialist elitist racist low-lives who not only represent the Demoncrat party, but also populate the vast majority of media outlets? How about media allies of the demons start actually doing their jobs and allow themselves to be called 'reporters' or 'news people' once again?
How about the facts of the coal ash spill be presented to the public PRIOR to the November election? Instead of worrying about whether Tuesday is the right day to hold elections, we worry about whether the truth is being presented. It's a documented fact that coal ash ponds were leaking for decades, polluting near-by wells, yet the demons who ruled Raleigh covered it up. FOR DECADES libs who ruled prevented information about the coal ash leaks from seeing the light of day. And media types allowed the cover up, without questioning a single ally in the demon party. For decades libs knew what was happening and not only did NOTHING about it, but allowed it to fester and then blame it on the Republicans. Just because Pat worked for Duke in the past, it became HIS problem. Just because changes were made to regulations by Republicans, it became their problem. Yet, libs and their media allies don't bother mentioning that even before the regulations were changed, libs who ruled Raleigh didn't BOTHER ENFORCING the 'more stringent' rules that existing under demon rule.
So, I don't point a huge finger of blame at Tom for his post. But some facts are missing, some finger pointing is absolutely called for, some truth needs to be presented along with opinion. Some information needs to be shared in order to be most fair. That's what media is supposed to do. And, just like Roy, when you fail to do your job, you shouldn't have your job. Even within an editorial, facts and information should exist.
August 13, 2016 at 11:50 am
Richard L Bunce says:
IF the goal is maximum voter participation then there should be no regulation, everyone can vote anywhere, anytime, as often as they want.
If the goal is maximum legal voter participation... then have voters prove they are qualified to vote (they are who they say they are, they are citizens of the US, they are over 18, they reside where they claim to reside) when they register then issue a voter registration card with photo and/or biometric ID that is checked each time they cast a vote.
What we have now is effectively the first with a purposely thin ineffective vernier of the second. As usual those who tend to follow societies rules are allowed to be harmed by those that do not. Every illegal vote cancels out all other legal votes. So either verify the vote is legal or eliminate the Constitutional requirement that is not verified and simplify the process to option 1... if you show up you get to cast a vote, wherever, whenever, as many times as you like.
