Repeater
Regular Member
McAwful wants to make "Are you a U.S. citizen" check box optional when registering
Say, why don't we propose making check boxes on 4473 applications optional!
How Virginia Is Making It Easier for Felons and Non-Citizens to Vote
So, what's the rationale offered for doing this? Simply, put, it's confusing, and making people fill out those pesky check boxes, when so many people "forget" is just unfair:
Senate Candidate Amanda Chase is quite alarmed by this; she objected at a meeting held in a hotel in Chesterfield. so did the Chesterfield Registrar:
Boxed out? GOP bucks changes to voter forms
Senator Tom Garrett draws the obvious parallels:
Say, why don't we propose making check boxes on 4473 applications optional!
How Virginia Is Making It Easier for Felons and Non-Citizens to Vote
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and his appointees to the Virginia State Board of Elections seem determined to ensure that felons and non-citizens can illegally register and vote in elections without getting caught.
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Under current law, in order to register in Virginia, one must check boxes to answer questions about citizenship, felony convictions and mental capacity to vote. Under the proposed changes, leaving these boxes blank would not prevent an individual from becoming registered to vote.
So, what's the rationale offered for doing this? Simply, put, it's confusing, and making people fill out those pesky check boxes, when so many people "forget" is just unfair:
According to the Washington Post, the chairman of the Board of Elections, James Alcorn, said that these proposed changes will “make it easier for eligible Virginians to participate in the electoral process,” and that the focus of voter registration should not be “whether the voter is able to complete the form,” implying that these questions are so confusing that they are somehow disenfranchising eligible voters.
Senate Candidate Amanda Chase is quite alarmed by this; she objected at a meeting held in a hotel in Chesterfield. so did the Chesterfield Registrar:
Boxed out? GOP bucks changes to voter forms
Falsely signing a voter registration form would remain a felony. But failing to answer the citizenship, felon and mental health questions would no longer be considered a “material omission” that under Virginia law automatically requires a registrar to reject an application.
“The real threat to the integrity of our elections is politicians who throw up more barriers to voting,” said Anna Scholl, executive director of ProgressVA, a progressive advocacy organization based in Albemarle County. “It’s disgusting any politician would throw around wild and unfounded accusations to hide their true motivation: opposition to any proposal to make it easier for every eligible Virginia voter to cast a ballot.”
Republican politicians aren’t the only people who oppose changing the voter registration form, though.
A steady stream of registrars from across Virginia spoke during last week’s public hearing. Not one endorsed the proposed changes. Several pointed out that the changes would place the form in direct conflict with state law and make it far more difficult for them to determine whether an applicant is actually eligible to vote.
Chesterfield Registrar Larry Haake drew loud applause from the crowd of about 250 people when he noted that allowing prospective voters to avoid filling out the form completely would “prevent me from doing my duty.”
“When you look at the law regarding whether they are a citizen, as registrar of voters, we need an affirmative statement from the voter,” he said.
Senator Tom Garrett draws the obvious parallels:
If checking boxes to indicate that you’re an American citizen, haven’t been adjudicated mentally incapacitated, and aren’t a convicted felon is too hard to do to exercise a constitutional right, why don’t we just take those things off applications to purchase a firearm, too?