This is a letter published in my local paper. I will be pushing my state to adopt VBM. Anybody up for an online petition?
In 1980, Paul Weyrich, one of the founders of the conservative movement, said: “I don’t want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of people, they never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.” Very simply, “our leverage” refers to the power exerted by the super-wealthy in this country, their lobbyists and bootlickers. The Republican Party is determined to cut voter turnout by alleging voter fraud (almost non-existent), and requiring voters to provide forms of identification that may not be easily available.
We should make every effort to make it easier to vote and increase voter turnout, not reduce it, as Weyrich wants. Connecticut could follow the lead of Oregon, which initiated voting by mail (VBM) in 1988. Once you provide ID, such as a driver’s license, Social security Number, valid photo identification, paycheck stub, utility bill, bank statement, or a government document, you can register. Ballots will then be sent to you by non-forwardable mail 18 days before the election (45 days for absentee ballots), and they can be mailed in 4 days before the election.
Voter turnout at primaries and general elections in Oregon has increased, and voter fraud, especially by absentee ballot, is not an issue. Having a single election day the first Tuesday in November was determined in 1845 because farmers would have completed their harvest and were free to travel to a polling place.
In addition to its convenience, voting by mail reduces the influence of media coverage of elections, and would absolutely prevent problems like those in the 2000 presidential election in Florida, and in Ohio in 2004.