Feb
1

Another bad idea

Illinois is starting up an early voting program, which will “end Election Day as we know it.” (The Tribune‘s article about it is below.)

Here’s Kat L’Estrange’s take:

Get this: “legal” early voting–as opposed to voting early illegally? The plan is to do away with Election Day as to avoid the image of large voter turnouts that historically have meant the party in power loses to the challenger. Perhaps well-meaning Dems see it as a way to bring out more voters, but what good does that do if machine counts are being rigged? Just gives the cheaters more time to analyze and “fix”outcomes. There’ll be no remaining check and balance against final vote tallies. To Republicans, the only FAIR vote is one for the GOP. They could care less about suppressing or disenfranchising voters from the opposition parties as long as the GOP wins and controls government. This is the biggest farce ever making accountability of elections impossible. We don’t need more time to vote if vote tallies are not verifiable by human beings. It’s what Karl Rove and buddies loved about Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, which they scrutinized after the 2000 election. They recognized it as a way to easily game the system and blame Democrats for having instituted it. Fairly soon, even lawsuits will not be a viable option in our pursuit of justice. Perhaps somebody, at least foreigners, will begin the debate soon enough as to why it was that Americans voted themselves out of a free and open society at the beginning of the 21st Century. Was it some sort of freak lunacy that overcame the citizenry? Apparently, never in a million years, give or take a few, will the American media and corporate representatives in Congress consider a diagnosis of fixed elections. — Kat

“We’re all for helping people to vote, but we also have to do so in ways that are fair,” said John Tsarpalas, the state GOP’s executive director.
Soon you can vote early … legally
Illinois to open polls before Election Day

By John McCormick, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson contributed to this report
Published January 31, 2006

Election Day is about to get much longer.

Following a national trend that promises to change political campaigns here, Illinois voters will be allowed to cast ballots starting Feb. 27, well in advance of the March 21 primary and without providing the kind of travel or illness excuses needed for absentee ballots.

Billed as a response to declining voter turnout, early voting will even be offered on weekends, providing flexibility for those tied up with work, children’s swimming lessons or other obligations.

“It ends Election Day as we know it,” said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander. “Election Day simply becomes the last day to vote.”

Read more.ue

February 1, 2006   //   General   //   3 Comments   //  

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