Random Gemini Weirdness: The WA Governor's Election
Random Gemini talks about the WA State Governor's Election (yes, it is still going on...) and has this comment:
The first of these is that it's too darned easy to get an absentee ballot. You should have to go down and physically pick up your ballot and show ID for it before you go on vacation. Am I the only person who feels that it's complete and utter garbage that you can have it mailed to your home? Most mailboxes don't have locks on them, they aren't secured and anyone could walk up to your mailbox when you're not there and swipe your mail out of it. Furthermore, if you're home on election day, you're not an absentee. The polls are open late enough (or early enough if you prefer getting up at the crack of dawn), there's no excuse for avoiding going down there to stand in line other than sheer laziness.I like mail in absentee voting. It is convenient and simple. It is also of course wide open to fraud. I am sure that I could obtain multiple balots, in different names, and have them all mailed to my home and I would never get caught. That is too easy and too convenient.
posted by Dave Justus | 4/13/2005 06:06:00 AM
2 Comments:
Dave, your final comment is interesting.
I have heard over many years the term "voter registration" in many contexts. Could you enlighten me please -
What identification requirements are needed to register as a voter?
What requirements are there to keep the voter records accurate and current?
Is registration compulsory?
The reason that I ask is this. NZ has made use of postal voting for some 30 years now for local council elections. There has been recent pressure for the national parliamentary elections to change as well.
To date, there has been only a few - one that I am certain of - instances of fraudulent voting. Given the electoral controls that are used in this country, it is interesting to hear your comment and the conclusion that you reach.
The exact regulations vary from state to state.
Here in Washington they are pretty lax and it is very easy to get registered and to vote. You can register with a mail in form, you recieve your ballot in the mail and you can vote by mail, all without ever showing any ID or talking to any government employee. I can't remember exactly what identification numbers you need to put on your registration form, but I am sure it would be easy to fake one.
Registration and voting is not compulsory in the United States.
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