Voter's Rights, Responsibilities, and Fraud

Since colonial times, American values have included strong individual freedoms to follow the churches of their choice (or none), to work for their own survival and well-being, to voice their rights and opinions by free speech, and to vote for their own issues and candidates.

The first elections allowed only white men who owned property to vote. In recent years the laws have been expanded to include women and all minorities who may or may not be property owners. The only restrictions are that they all be citizens of the United States of America and without parole status from a felony conviction. In 1964 the voting rights were strengthened when the states ratified the 24th Amendment and outlawed the poll tax.

To insure honest and valid results from the elections, this country needs an honest registration system, a valid count and responsible and knowledgeable voters. This seems to be where the system falls apart.

1. Honest registration means that all voters much register their citizenship, current address and, in some cases, their party affiliation (or none). This system has been abused in the last 30 plus years as was shown in a county in Texas who registered and absentee voted thousands of people whose names were taken from the local cemetery. This is fraud at its worst. In California it was discovered that many registered voters where not citizens and had registered fraudulently by the motor/voter system. When applying for a driver's license they were given a voter registration. Many, who could not speak English then applied for absentee ballots and mailed them in. A very small portion of these voters were removed from the county data base only when the court clerk discovered the lack of citizenship when the request for jury duty forms were returned stating "Not a citizen." No action was taken. I contacted my State Senator about this problem and he stated that there was nothing that could be done. He admitted that this was considered "Perjury" (and we all know how serious that is). Random checking by the County Registrar who issues the final registration list and mails out the ballot guides, could solve this problem.
2. A valid count is the second most abused problem. This problem must be solved within each county and state to insure an honest final count. It would be a simple idea to ask for Federal intervention here but at this time, no honesty could be promised. I am certainly not requesting our Federal authority micro-manage the counting of ballots. Every area uses a different system, whether it is counting paper ballots, IBM punch cards or by computers. The honesty factor can only be solved when all the county voters demand to know and be involved in the counting procedures used in their area.
3. Responsible and knowledgeable voters. Voter apathy is the true enemy of the state. In California, where the Initiative system often adds over 20 ballot measures to many general elections, the public can be overcome with unclear and poorly-written propositions that can turn them off from even reading the long and wordy ballot guides. Only by educating the voters can we hope for an honest election that represents our Democracy. The newspapers do not help the decision making as their coverage is usually biased toward more government programs to solve all our problems. Television advertising certainly does not promise accuracy in their issues. The American public must make the effort to determine which candidate and propositions fit their needs. This is the single most important action that any American can make for the government that promises them this rare freedom of choice. I do not believe that all voters should vote. If they haven't made the effort to learn the value of an educated vote, let them stay home (and keep their opinions to themselves).

Every American who treasures the right to vote, must step up and declare their voice for honest registrations, valid counts and more accuracy in the media. We all must contact our Registrar of Voters in the many county offices throughout our state and demand an ethical, legal and accurate set of rules that must be followed to ensure that our individual vote will count and reflect the form of leadership that we desire. I have found that the county clerks are too casual in their attitudes, and we must shake 'em up.

Published in the February 8, 2000 issue of Ether Zone. Copyright © 2000 Ether Zone Online. Reposting permitted with this message intact.