Election Day Voter Registration
 

Being that today is an election day and that i'm not eligible to vote because I recently moved and didn't know I had to update my address on my voter registration (assumed it as linked to my drivers license) I thought I'd start a thread on election day voter registration.

What do you think, is this a good thing or a bad thing? What arguments do you have for or against it?

Generally, I oppose it for the following reasons which are based on absolutely no facts. My mind is open to opposing views, I'm not set in stone on this.

1) A "voter" not informed enough to be registered is not informed on the candidates at the time to make a meaningful vote.
2) It seems these voters would be more influenced during voter registration drives (ACORN), since the vote occurs on the day of the influence.
3) Registration requires validation. The square wheels of government would not be able to create a system to validate the registrations prior to the person actually voting. Voter fraud would be a greater risk.

1) A large majority of voters just happened to be registered because they checked a box when they got their drivers license, there is likely very little difference in how informed the voter is between those registered in advance and those that are the same day. Also there is no requirement on voters being informed. If we want there to be we better put that requirement on everyone (AKA a test on the issues prior to voting) of course this is completely illegal.
2) The whole election process is based on people being influenced. Just because you don't like who does the influencing doesn't mean you can discard their votes.
3) If you aren't registered in advance then your vote should be done as a provisional ballot that gets counted after the registration is validated. This doesn't really open up any extra room for fraud that didn't already exist. In fact I can think of one case where it would actually lesson it. For example today I could have voted in the wrong district because I was registered where I used to live. I didn't but I easily could have, especially since I drove through that area on my way to work. I'm sure many people vote for where they used to live. If there was same day registration they could vote where they currently live.


Now here are some arguments for same day registration:

1) An issue may come up within 30 days of an election that peaks a voters interest and they should be able to vote.
2) If a person is a US citizen who has not lost their right to vote then they should be legally able to vote.
3) It increases participation giving a better statistical representation of the peoples wishes.
4) Could potentially decrease election fraud (see above).

All valid points.

I believe one has a moral obligation in America to keep up with who you are voting for and why. Yes, it is illegal to qualify voters through testing. However, every election, some dumbass pulls the handle and cancels out your well-informed vote. Don't know how to fix it, I just think it sucks. I don't mind someone like you, dippin, dc_dux, or roachboy canceling me out, because at least I know that it's a well informed vote (all assuming we would vote opposite on the issue, of course.) It's the dumbass that bugs me.

As for the voter registration influence issue, it's a weak argument - I know. I just have this vision of the "hey, I'll give you a pack of smokes to go pull the handle. What's that you say, you're not registered? No problem, sign here please."

It would have been interesting to see if you could have voted in your old district, seeing as how your license was in your new address. Where I live, you can bring your license only and they can "look you up." While waiting in line and watching, it seems most people vote that way rather than the registration card.

The issue I can see with this one is that your actual vote would be tied to your registration. In a secret ballot (which most democratic elections are), this opens up a can of worms in relation to the privacy of the vote.

I don't even know how it is Constitutional for a person over 18 to be denied the right to vote registered or not.

LII: Constitution

I think if a person can prove citizenship and residency (based on electoral districts), they should be able to vote, period.

In Canada, we have same-day registration.

Also, if you have a change of address, you can still vote with a valid piece of ID.

Either way, I think registration is important to avoid voter fraud.

Utah never sent me an updated license so it has my old address (though the DMV has my correct address). Also according to Utah law your license does not need to match your voting address as long as you live at the address you are voting at (probably because they don't send you an updated license or a sticker to put on your old one with your new address).

---------- Post added at 12:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 AM ----------

They have already addressed these issues with absentee voting. Basically your vote goes in a sealed envelope which is then placed inside another envelope containing your registration information. Once your registration is verified your sealed ballot goes into a pile of other uncounted sealed ballots, which are then all opened together.

---------- Post added at 12:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

Actually those two amendments say that a person cannot be denied a vote because of their age, or because of their race, etc. There actually doesn't seem to be an explicit constitutional right to vote, at least I tried to find that information earlier but I could not.

---------- Post added at 12:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 AM ----------

Has there been any documented increase in fraud due to same day registration?



Also in regards to earlier claims of uninformed voters, it would seem to be statistically uniformed voters are likely to vote evenly across all issues (minus biases due to candidate names and ballot placement).

There have been recent investigations into voter fraud, and no evidence has turned up with that regard.

As far as I understand it, in Ohio as long as you are registered to vote within the STATE, you can go to your correct precinct and cast a provisional ballot with proof of your new address. You cannot cast a ballot at your old precinct.

Unfortunately for me, I missed the deadline to re-register myself in Ohio to be eligible to vote in today's election. Damn my not paying attention to the date and going a week late. :(

just enact Motor Voter laws in every state and be done with it

Actually, the best system is in Oregon (I believe) with vote-by-mail. There should be an absolute minimum in obstacles to voting.

vote by mail sounds like an easy system for fraud