For some reason I have a really bad feeling about this. Given the liberal mantra of "Count every vote," I'm having trouble seeing how these wonderful BOE folks are going to verify the votes as actual, living, registered voters.
The areas that seem most affected are big EC states...OH, FL, IA, MO, MI...The Constitution is very clear...the first Tuesday of November. This is what happens when you make it easier, rather than harder to vote.
Thoughts?
I must report on 2 e-messages that arrived in my college "mail" today: the first linked to a NYT editorial as "recommended reading", which editorial criticized local folks for not being encouraging/active/helpful enough in allowing/getting students to vote locally (as in, in the precinct of their "temporary" college residence)...the article also referenced "public interest groups", but we "residents" need to be more encouraging too...and the Supreme Court has apparently established it as a right for students (and other "temporary residents"?) to vote at their currently "local" polling places (while also recommending setting up polls right on campus...aargh!)...
The second message was simply to announce that "we and our students" might want to attend the ACT Vote for Change concerts, being held in Ohio, and there were some tickets available by calling 202 4l9-l040.
Then there was also an earlier announcement that the College Democrats would have a voter-registration booth at the student union center everyday at meal-times...
To be scrupulously fair, the PoliSci dept. sends out lots of info., but I'm tryng to remember if announcements were made about W or Laura's various local visits? I know Kerry/Edwards stops have been noted...
Last but not least...the recent information shared about a certain informal survey and the completely shocking lack of knowledge regarding current events among the undergraduates...
It begs the questions: why would we want uninformed people to vote? and if these students were informed and interested, why have they not already arranged for an absentee ballot from their home precinct?? (the ones I know have...)
We have already had cases here of dead people registering, and absentee ballots being obtained fraudulently (imagine...none of these "new voters" can spell the name of the street they all live on, but they're not going to be there anywaysince they're all planning to be out of town during election week, too)...so while I certainly encourage young people to exercise their right to vote, the possibilities at the college of undue influence on immature students, and/or the potential "gold mine" of double votes (local plus absentee, "a la Florida") makes me very worried!!
Perhaps I should just write that "in reply" on the school mail?! What else can I do? (pinging dubya and con to ping the NE Ohio list...and pinging card for "local distribution", LOL!)