and it has nothing to do with conspiracy. It has everything to do with taking the "right to vote" so carelessly and haphazardly without even thinking about the consequences until they find themselves off the voting rolls and wanting to blame someone else...anyone else...but themselves.
Yes, election fraud and tampering has been proven to exist. That shit happens. But what I am seeing first hand working in an elections office has been extremely heartbreaking and eyeopening to the fact that sometimes, it's not conspiracy but sheer ignorance and lack of care and attention to something we "profess to hold so dear"...being able to vote.
What can get you finding yourself wanting this next election? Want your vote to count? Well...let's see...(more below fold...)
Applying for an Absentee Ballot is NOT the same as registering to vote.
Just living in a city does not automatically entitle you to vote without filling out paperwork.
Not voting for the past four years might get you booted from the rolls.
Don't lie about where you live.
Don't try to vote more than once.
Know which county you live in. Knowing what State would be really handy, too.
Thinking that where you get your mail is automatically your residence. (hint...P.O. Boxes are hard to take a shower in, hence they're not considered RESIDENCES)
Changing addressess without reregistering
Changing names without reregistering
Deciding on a new signature from what you registered with
Deciding to sign as someone else
Swaping signatures with your roomies' ballots
Spelling your name right would be really key. Spelling your street and city correctly, too.
Don't think that just because you are registered in one city in one state makes it o.k. to think you are AUTOMATICALLY registered to vote in another city in another state
Thinking that just because everyone in your household is registered that means that you are, too.
Not reading the freaking form to begin with
Sending in forms before, NOT AFTER, the due dates would be a good starter, too.
Writing so that other people can actual decipher your chickenscratch. No readeeee...quite possibly no voteeee.
Don't purposefully write profanity all over your absentee ballot. If you make it so the computer can't read the form, it won't count the form.
Don't launder your absentee form
The little computer marks are on the ballot for a reason. It is not the time to play connect the dots nor take scissors to it.
Don't take someone else's ballot. Send in your own.
Remember to actually fill out the ballot before sending it in.
When a form says to sign it....please do so. There's a reason. Think of your voter application as a legal document. You no signeeee.....You no voteeee.
Don't lie about where you were born or when on your application. If you are concerned about identity theft, think about all the information you give your credit card companies and what THEY do with it.
Fax machines sometimes don't work. Don't always count on sending in your applications last minute and having it go through.
Don't always blame the poll workers or election official. Try contacting your state or federal representatives. THEY are the ones making the rules about when, where and how you vote. The election folks are generally just trying their best with little time, little money and little manpower to make it happen.
Don't wait until the last minute to send in your forms. You kinda know 6 months out that an election is coming up...get ready then.
Just because you receive a form from your political party doesn't mean that there is something wrong with your registration. Sometimes it just means that someone might be getting paid to send you forms to fill out once, twice and yes...sometimes even four times. And, yes, you don't need to send in all four of the same form.
Put a freaking stamp on things that need a stamp. How freaking hard is that to do?
Know where you turn in your voting information. Again, knowing what county you live in is very helpful. And, wow...there's this cool new thing on the internet(s) called Google that can actually help you find the address and, gasp, phone number of the proper county recorder's or election office.
County is NOT the same as COUNTRY.
Don't send in a blank form with just a signature and expect those on the other end to know who the heck you are and what the heck you want.
Don't always assume that someone is out to hinder your right to vote. Sometimes it just might be you.
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That's my rant for the evening. Do me a favor. Call up your local elections office and THANK THEM for all the hard work they do YEAR ROUND to make elections happen.