Posted on 09/26/2004 5:45:24 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Democratic lawmakers say law keeps college students from voting
9/26/2004, 8:22 a.m. ET
By DAVID EGGERT
The Associated Press
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kurtis Hussler, an 18-year-old Michigan State University sophomore welcoming any excuse for a study break, heard a knock on his dorm room door the other night.
The visitor was a member of the MSU College Democrats who, after a brief introduction, asked: "Are you registered to vote?"
Hussler signed up within minutes.
Though he had wanted to vote in November, the Cass City electrical engineering major admitted he would not have gotten around to registering.
"I don't know where the Secretary of State (branch office) is," he said. "For people who aren't from the area, it's kind of hard to find."
Critics say parts of Michigan's election law are confusing and put up roadblocks that disenfranchise thousands of college students.
Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation last week to repeal a 2000 law that requires people to have the same address on their driver's license and voter registration card. The law makes it especially difficult for college students who want to keep their parent's home address, critics say.
The lawmakers also criticized a provision that does not allow first-time voters to cast absentee ballots unless they register in person. That keeps many college students from being able to get an absentee ballot to vote for candidates at their home address.
"We have sent the wrong message so far," said Sen. Virg Bernero, D-Lansing, a sponsor of the legislation. "Students hit head-first into obstacles."
The law's supporters, however, say it cuts down on fraud and helps form an accurate voter file, preventing duplications.
"It's not an intent to make it difficult for students to vote," said Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom, R-Temperance, a former township clerk. "It's just important that people decide where they want to live."
The campus vote has become a bigger issue in recent years, particularly at Michigan State, located in the 8th Congressional District. In 2000, Republican state Sen. Mike Rogers defeated Democratic state Sen. Dianne Byrum by 152 votes. Democrats and some students said the law, sponsored by Rogers, contributed to his victory.
Both major political parties, locked in a tight presidential race, are using volunteers and paid canvassers to register young voters and get them to the polls. Separate drives by nonpartisan groups are increasing the number of registered voters, too. Nearly 100,000 young people have registered in Michigan in recent months.
Bernero said political considerations drove Republicans to pass the law but denied Democrats have political motives this time around.
"One party believes in voting and enfranchising people while the other party doesn't believe in voting," he said.
Bernero and Democratic Sens. Liz Brater of Ann Arbor and Deborah Cherry of Burton took their message to University of Michigan, Michigan State and Eastern Michigan students last week. The lawmakers acknowledge the legislation will not pass in time for the Nov. 2 election, but they hope to mobilize outrage among college students.
In East Lansing, 21-year-old junior Stephen Purchase said some students worry about losing coverage under their parents' car insurance policies if they change their address. Students move a lot in college, making them less likely to notify the state of every switch, he said.
Purchase, a Muskegon international relations major, also said first-time voters should be able to vote with an absentee ballot, even if they register via mail, instead of having to travel to their home districts.
Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, said changing a driver's license address should not affect their insurance rates. Students can change an address but still have their vehicle registration forms and fees sent to their parents' address, she said.
The law's defenders say it has simplified rather than confused voting.
"It allows us to retain people in the voting system," Chesney said. "It's a more efficient way to keep track of our voters."
The potential for fraud is another concern. Hammerstrom said returning to the old law would make it easier for people to vote in multiple locations.
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan lobbyist Shelli Weisberg responded: "Nothing shows there's been any kind of major fraud, and it generally doesn't involve the student population. We're not looking for any special rights for students. Just don't make in any harder for them to vote."
The law makes it especially difficult for college students who want to keep their parent's home address, critics say.
It's not hard at all. All it does is require a little bit of EFFORT. I registered in person. At 18 I voted in a school election. There's also PRIMARY elections. If I voted in person there, I could have voted absentee in the general. In 98 and 2000, I did.
"One party believes in voting and enfranchising people while the other party doesn't believe in voting," he said.
No, we just don't believe in voting twice or having dead people vote. That comment is as pathetic as your pop tax proposal.
Students move a lot in college, making them less likely to notify the state of every switch, he said.
True. Which is why I used dad's address when I was in East Lansing. I still voted(and actually had representation there).
absentee ballot, even if they register via mail, instead of having to travel to their home districts.
Can't go along with that. Too easy for fraud. It's not that hard to get an absentee. The last time I did it at least in Genoa Twp, I just picked it up in person.
The potential for fraud is another concern. Hammerstrom said returning to the old law would make it easier for people to vote in multiple locations.
Like the case in Milwaukee's Marquette University.
The Democrats are ridiculous. Of course, Democrats have never heard the words PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. My son is a college student who already took care of having an application for a personal ballot sent to him. He did so on the computer. As for the first time voting in person, there is usually something on the ballot in the spring and in the fall. Most kids turn 18 while still in high school. This entire thing is just so ridiculous.
It's called postive voter identifaction ya jerk!
They're just mad because the law is closing in on their voter fraud-games.
You can register online, print out the form, and mail it..sheesh
I had so much yet to learn...
They are always searching for something to whine about.
My son switched his voter registration, his drivers license, and his tag when he went to law school in a different state. He's currently living with me in Florida and will be until January, so he went last week and switched back to a Florida drivers license and Florida voter's registration.
If these kids want to vote, then they need to register where they live! Knowing democrats, they probably think the only fair thing to do is let students vote at college, and cast an absentee ballot for the same election from their parents' address.
I guess it's sorta like cheating on a test and not getting caught.
Lord help us! Seriesly.
The Democrats go into nursing homes and have all the Alzheimers vote Democratic with a little help. Now they have to go into colleges and teach young people how to cheat. Then the Democrats go to the homeless and give them cigarettes and drinks to register and vote. No wonder they don't want the system tightened. I think that Bush probably won the popular vote by a huge majority in the last election if you throw out all the fraudulent votes.
My three children,whom have all graduated from college, all went away to school and without any proding from us, have voted in all elections...they were educated enough to know how, why and where to vote.....if you are smart enough to go to college.......
I would assume college campuses in Michigan are wired for the internet. It would be as simple as looking up the Secretary of State's webpage.
Good grief. LAZY!
Not really. It's called a phone book.
Mapquest, on-line phone directories, & Google: the wired students' friends.
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan lobbyist Shelli Weisberg responded: "Nothing shows there's been any kind of major fraud, and it generally doesn't involve the student population.
The fraud that doesn't exist, doesn't exist in the Student Community?
Or, does only MINOR fraud exist in ALL communities, adding up to major fraud?
The more psychologically ridiculous the these disenfranchisement stories get coming out of the Democrats, the more I'm convinced they know they're losing.
Irrational acts of desperation, that's all.
And attorneys will say anything they're paid to say.
As a matter of fact, there were thousands of students who voted TWICE in the last election: once at college and once at home. In fact, thousands may be an underestimate.
Although college students may be getting more conservative, most of these get-out-the-vote drives are exclusively Democrat. And I doubt very much whether they tell students that they can't register in East Lansing unless they cancel their registrations at home.
[American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan lobbyist Shelli Weisberg responded: "Nothing shows there's been any kind of major fraud, and it generally doesn't involve the student population. We're not looking for any special rights for students. Just don't make in any harder for them to vote]
The ALCU is full of trash. If the ACLU Commies are so interested in voting rights, then they would not try to block ant-gay marriage proposals from appearing on the ballots or be strangely silent when Nader is knocked out off the ballots in some states.
That was in Wisconsin - Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Hmmmm....both of my children turned 18 while they were still at home. I have nothing to back this up, but my guess is that liberal 18 year olds are more apathetic about voting than conservative 18 years olds. The demons probably recognize this too and are blaming apathy on "the system".
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