By Andrew Kirshenbaum
Published September 24th 2004 in Stateline.org
Editor:
I had always thought that every American had an equal opportunity to vote. Apparently, Utah, Missouri and North Dakota believe only servicemen should have special privileges ("3 states to let overseas soldiers vote by e-mail," September 23, 2004). It is right to question the security of e-mail voting, but at the very least, if this privilege exists, shouldn't it be extended to every American abroad: aid workers, civilian contractors, students and families?
Sadly states are not required to treat each voter equally; there is no right to vote in the U.S Constitution. States independently set voting policies and procedures such as ballot design and registration requirements.
Instead of this haphazard state-based system, we should urge Congress to add an amendment to the Constitution to make voting a right of citizenship that all Americans can equally enjoy. Such an amendment would streamline electoral policy and ensure that every American has the same privileges when voting.
I had always thought that every American had an equal opportunity to vote. Apparently, Utah, Missouri and North Dakota believe only servicemen should have special privileges ("3 states to let overseas soldiers vote by e-mail," September 23, 2004). It is right to question the security of e-mail voting, but at the very least, if this privilege exists, shouldn't it be extended to every American abroad: aid workers, civilian contractors, students and families?
Sadly states are not required to treat each voter equally; there is no right to vote in the U.S Constitution. States independently set voting policies and procedures such as ballot design and registration requirements.
Instead of this haphazard state-based system, we should urge Congress to add an amendment to the Constitution to make voting a right of citizenship that all Americans can equally enjoy. Such an amendment would streamline electoral policy and ensure that every American has the same privileges when voting.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.