Judge orders early voting restored in Ohio

[Oldgamer]

I am so glad to see someone have some common sense on this.

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[shira]

I am so glad to see someone have some common sense on this.

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What a surprise: Republicans had passed a law that allows members of the military (= disproportionately Republican) all of the early-voting days that were available before the change. But all other voters (= majority Democrat) were prevented from voting on three of those days.

 

[soundforbjt]

Don't worry, they'll (repubs) find another way to fix the problem that doesn't exist (except in their minds). Have faith, aren't they governed by a former Faux News talking head?

 

[thraashman]

Don't worry, they'll (repubs) find another way to fix the problem that doesn't exist (except in their minds). Have faith, aren't they governed by a former Faux News talking head?

Actually, Republicans are fixing a problem that does exist. That problem is that a fair system favors Democrats. So they're fixing the system to be not fair.

 

[soundforbjt]

Actually, Republicans are fixing a problem that does exist. That problem is that a fair system favors Democrats. So they're fixing the system to be not fair.

If the repubs had their way, only white, male, landowners could vote
you know. like in the Good Ole Days...

 

[thraashman]

If the repubs had their way, only white, male, landowners could vote
you know. like in the Good Ole Days...

They just want to go back to the days of "traditional voting".

 

[brycejones]

If the repubs had their way, only white, male, landowners could vote
you know. like in the Good Ole Days...

There are at least a couple of posters here who have advocated almost that very position.

 

[Thebobo]

Good for them.

 

[Cozarkian]

What's the purpose of this law in the first place? Either mail in your absentee ballot or go to your polling place on election day and vote in person. Why does anyone need to vote early, in person, by absentee?

 

[shira]

What's the purpose of this law in the first place? Either mail in your absentee ballot or go to your polling place on election day and vote in person. Why does anyone need to vote early, in person, by absentee?

Could it possibly be the case that giving voters more voting options encourages more voter participation in elections? That's of course something Republicans do NOT want to facilitate, since the greater the turnout the greater the probability that the Republican candidate or the Republican preference on ballot initiatives will lose.

 

[brycejones]

What's the purpose of this law in the first place? Either mail in your absentee ballot or go to your polling place on election day and vote in person. Why does anyone need to vote early, in person, by absentee?

Why do you seem to be opposed to maximizing the opportunity for people to vote in an election?

 

[shira]

Why do you seem to be opposed to maximizing the opportunity for people to vote in an election?

Clearly, too many of the "wrong kind of people" voting leads to "bad" election results. Republicans are for "good" election results.

 

[Cozarkian]

Why do you seem to be opposed to maximizing the opportunity for people to vote in an election?

I don't oppose laws because they maximize the opportunity to vote. Although I would, for example, oppose a law that creates an election week instead of an election day because of the added cost. My concern with this law is all the time and money that was wasted passing the law, amending the law, and overturning the amendment, all for a law that serves no real purpose, because there are already sufficient opportunities to vote and it doesn't in any way address the real problem with low voter turnout, that people don't take their civic duty to cast an educated vote seriously.

Now that the law is in place, it might as well stay on the books (assuming the extra costs create are minimal), but it's still a stupid fight about a stupid law.

 

[Jhhnn]

Actually, Republicans are fixing a problem that does exist. That problem is that a fair system favors Democrats. So they're fixing the system to be not fair.

Bada-bing!

Win. lose or draw, greater turnout give a more accurate reflection of the will of the electorate. That's simple math.

If there's 50% turnout & a 50.1% win, There's no real mandate in that, certainly not enough to validate a radical agenda. Low turnout encourages organized radical takeover, so they'll try to create it if they can. That's the underlying goal in all the doom & gloom, the "They're just as Bad!" rhetoric, the attacks on voter registration efforts- to foster apathy & disconnection from the political process.

It gives zealots a lot more sway than they deserve, quite by design.

 

[Jhhnn]

I strongly favor Oregon's vote by mail system, largely because turnout is enormous, fraud virtually non-existent. No discouraging lines & people are free to fill out their choices at their leisure, even to research the proposals online w/ the ballot right in front of them or just vote on what they care about, send it in. It's utterly fair & doesn't suffer from misallocation of voting machines or any voting resources. It cuts through the bullshit.

 

[Matt1970]

Isn't this the one where there was like 11 early voting day but some people got upset because 3 of them were for military only?

EDIT* I must correct myself.

"Majority Republicans have made other changes to Ohio's voting rules. This year, they eliminated so-called golden week, a period when residents could both register to vote and cast an early ballot at the same time. Without those days, early voting will typically start 29 days before Election Day."

It must be a real bitch to get in your vote in Ohio with only 30 days of voting allowed.

 

[michal1980]

I'm surprised democrats are alive. everything is so fucking hard for them. Like voting on election day.

How many extra days do they need to make up votes?

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Isn't this the one where there was like 11 early voting day but some people got upset because 3 of them were for military only?

EDIT* I must correct myself.

"Majority Republicans have made other changes to Ohio's voting rules. This year, they eliminated so-called golden week, a period when residents could both register to vote and cast an early ballot at the same time. Without those days, early voting will typically start 29 days before Election Day."


It must be a real bitch to get in your vote in Ohio with only 30 days of voting allowed.

So you have no issues with only certain classes of people being afforded more opportunities to vote? Which is what this case was about. Cutting out the three heaviest early voting days for some people while leaving them in place for a select few.

Equal access for everyone to voting shouldn't be opposed by anyone.

 

[DrDoug]

I strongly favor Oregon's vote by mail system, largely because turnout is enormous, fraud virtually non-existent. No discouraging lines & people are free to fill out their choices at their leisure, even to research the proposals online w/ the ballot right in front of them or just vote on what they care about, send it in. It's utterly fair & doesn't suffer from misallocation of voting machines or any voting resources. It cuts through the bullshit.

I live in Oregon and you nailed it. Voting is easy and everyone who is registered gets a ballot, increasing participation. That's far better than forcing people to go to some location at a certain time, possibly standing in line for hours. You have restroom issues, parking, maybe kids that need watching, issues with the infirm and elderly, plus you have people who are working and may not be off during those hours/days.

Versus picking up your mail, opening your ballot envelope, researching any ballot issues/candidates if you have questions, filling the ballot out at your convenience, placing it in the unmarked ballot envelope, placing that in a second envelope that you then sign and then drop it off at a drop box at City Hall when you are out and about (or mail it in).

Get with the 21st century...lol!

 

[brycejones]

I live in Oregon and you nailed it. Voting is easy and everyone who is registered gets a ballot, increasing participation. That's far better than forcing people to go to some location at a certain time, possibly standing in line for hours. You have restroom issues, parking, maybe kids that need watching, issues with the infirm and elderly, plus you have people who are working and may not be off during those hours/days.

Versus picking up your mail, opening your ballot envelope, researching any ballot issues/candidates if you have questions, filling the ballot out at your convenience, placing it in the unmarked ballot envelope, placing that in a second envelope that you then sign and then drop it off at a drop box at City Hall when you are out and about (or mail it in).

Get with the 21st century...lol!

Sounds like a pretty good system

 

[Moonbeam]

Society is arranged in such a way that a privileged class maintains it privileged status and tries to control the vote to keep it that way. Their sense of entitlement and inherited arrogance reverts them from seeing the injustice of this.

 

[Matt1970]

Society is arranged in such a way that a privileged class maintains it privileged status and tries to control the vote to keep it that way. Their sense of entitlement and inherited arrogance reverts them from seeing the injustice of this.

Ya, trying to allocate 3 days for our servicemen out of a month of early voting sure sounds like the privileged class trying maintain it privileged status.

We only have a month of early voting!! The fascists are taking over the world!!!

I just want you to see how ridiculous you sound. I know, I have a brain defect, I hate myself, I am projecting my hatred on others and I have intimacy issues because I never breast fed.

 

[CLite]

Ya, trying to allocate 3 days for our servicemen out of a month of early voting sure sounds like the privileged class trying maintain it privileged status.

We only have a month of early voting!! The fascists are taking over the world!!!

I just want you to see how ridiculous you sound. I know, I have a brain defect, I hate myself, I am projecting my hatred on others and I have intimacy issues because I never breast fed.

There is not nor ever was a month of in-person early voting at polling stations in Ohio. There was 3 days of in-person early voting in Ohio starting the Friday before the Tuesday election day. This was revoked and the court has since restored it.

I think you are talking about in-person absentee voting which you have to request from your county office and then show up for that specific request. This you can do beginning with the voter registration (which is approximately 30 days prior to general election). It is very different than having polling stations open for general access, which is what the three days of early voting were prior to their attempted removal.

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/Voters/absentee/inperson.aspx

 

[Jhhnn]

Ya, trying to allocate 3 days for our servicemen out of a month of early voting sure sounds like the privileged class trying maintain it privileged status.

We only have a month of early voting!! The fascists are taking over the world!!!

I just want you to see how ridiculous you sound. I know, I have a brain defect, I hate myself, I am projecting my hatred on others and I have intimacy issues because I never breast fed.

So, uhh, members of the military should be more equal than the rest of us?

It's unconstitutional on face value alone. Funny how a bunch of right wing lawyers, Ohio Repub Legislators, managed to overlook that little detail in their efforts to pander to the military.

 

[hal2kilo]

Sounds like a pretty good system

We have it also in Washington state. Works just like absentee ballots. This state allows in person voting in Seattle though too.