Comments on: Disenfranchising Student Voters through “Modernization” http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/09/15/disenfranchising-student-voters-through-modernization/ Champaign County Clerk Blog Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:08:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Noor http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/09/15/disenfranchising-student-voters-through-modernization/comment-page-1/#comment-1736 Noor Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:27:19 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=155#comment-1736 What I am seeing here is the example of modernization. Well somebody said it could be a double edged sword. These updates will serve a lot purpose like finding where the voters live and their whereabouts. Times like this require us to pull our socks and update all the information we have. But, civil liberty is a thing that we must have in mind. Constitution provides the right to vote. If some modernization programs upsets the right to vote or disenfranchise voters then the law makers and Government must to something to stop this and find an alternative. What I am seeing here is the example of modernization. Well somebody said it could be a double edged sword. These updates will serve a lot purpose like finding where the voters live and their whereabouts. Times like this require us to pull our socks and update all the information we have. But, civil liberty is a thing that we must have in mind. Constitution provides the right to vote. If some modernization programs upsets the right to vote or disenfranchise voters then the law makers and Government must to something to stop this and find an alternative.

]]> By: Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/09/15/disenfranchising-student-voters-through-modernization/comment-page-1/#comment-716 Champaign County Clerk Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:37:27 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=155#comment-716 A simple example makes my point. A student comes to the University of Illinois in August and decides to register to vote, either through the University or with a student group. The student believes he will be eligible to vote in the February 2nd primary election in 2010. He then goes home for Christmas break on December 15th. He goes to the driver's license facility (maybe his parents moved, driver's license expired, or he turned 21). He gets his new license and walks out, not realizing that the "modern" system of registration has taken his information and sent it to his local county clerk to register him in his home county. Upon registering in the other county, they find his name in our local database and send us a cancellation notice. He shows up to vote on election day in Champaign only to discover that his name has been removed from the rolls. That is the type of disenfranchisement that will be commonplace when things become automatic. A simple example makes my point. A student comes to the University of Illinois in August and decides to register to vote, either through the University or with a student group. The student believes he will be eligible to vote in the February 2nd primary election in 2010.

He then goes home for Christmas break on December 15th. He goes to the driver’s license facility (maybe his parents moved, driver’s license expired, or he turned 21). He gets his new license and walks out, not realizing that the “modern” system of registration has taken his information and sent it to his local county clerk to register him in his home county. Upon registering in the other county, they find his name in our local database and send us a cancellation notice. He shows up to vote on election day in Champaign only to discover that his name has been removed from the rolls.

That is the type of disenfranchisement that will be commonplace when things become automatic.

]]> By: Brennan Center for Justice http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/09/15/disenfranchising-student-voters-through-modernization/comment-page-1/#comment-704 Brennan Center for Justice Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:45:25 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=155#comment-704 Voter registration modernization, soundly implemented, will not disenfranchise student voters or anyone else. Under a system of voter registration modernization, other government agencies that maintain records of eligible citizens would transmit new records to election authorities for automatic voter registration and voter record updates. For agencies that do not already collect all the information needed for voter registration, there are two options: either afford citizens the opportunity to provide that information when they deal with the agency, or ask election officials to collect the missing information before completing the registration process. Under no circumstances would records be added to or modified on the voter rolls unless and until election officials obtain the correct information. This holds true for colleges and universities as well. The vast majority of colleges and universities offer online class registration and store citizenship information for their students. Those educational institutions can easily add a question to their online class registration form asking students to record their address for voting purposes, and providing them an opportunity to opt out of voter registration. That information, along with the affirmation of citizenship and the other basic identifying information for voter registration, can be electronically transmitted to elections authorities for automatic registration during the school year. Such a mechanism will ensure that students are registered to vote at the correct address. For the small number of colleges and universities that do not offer online registration, voter registration information could be collected on paper forms, as is currently mandated by the Higher Education Act (HEA), and transmitted to the appropriate election authorities. In short, there is nothing about voter registration modernization that requires students to be registered at their school addresses, rather than their original addresses, or vice versa. In the unfortunate event that errors are made, a proper system of voter registration modernization would include various mechanisms to correct them. A secure automated Internet and telephone portal for voters to check their registration information would enable them to catch errors and submit corrections. An Election Day correction procedure would catch any remaining errors or omissions. Advocates for modernizing the registration system seek expand the franchise, improve the accuracy of the voter rolls, and reduce waste and cost in election management. We hope to work with you in Champaign County to ensure that any modernization effort benefits all. For more information, please contact the Brennan Center or to visit our website (www.brennancenter.org). Voter registration modernization, soundly implemented, will not disenfranchise student voters or anyone else. Under a system of voter registration modernization, other government agencies that maintain records of eligible citizens would transmit new records to election authorities for automatic voter registration and voter record updates. For agencies that do not already collect all the information needed for voter registration, there are two options: either afford citizens the opportunity to provide that information when they deal with the agency, or ask election officials to collect the missing information before completing the registration process. Under no circumstances would records be added to or modified on the voter rolls unless and until election officials obtain the correct information.

This holds true for colleges and universities as well. The vast majority of colleges and universities offer online class registration and store citizenship information for their students. Those educational institutions can easily add a question to their online class registration form asking students to record their address for voting purposes, and providing them an opportunity to opt out of voter registration. That information, along with the affirmation of citizenship and the other basic identifying information for voter registration, can be electronically transmitted to elections authorities for automatic registration during the school year. Such a mechanism will ensure that students are registered to vote at the correct address. For the small number of colleges and universities that do not offer online registration, voter registration information could be collected on paper forms, as is currently mandated by the Higher Education Act (HEA), and transmitted to the appropriate election authorities.

In short, there is nothing about voter registration modernization that requires students to be registered at their school addresses, rather than their original addresses, or vice versa.

In the unfortunate event that errors are made, a proper system of voter registration modernization would include various mechanisms to correct them. A secure automated Internet and telephone portal for voters to check their registration information would enable them to catch errors and submit corrections. An Election Day correction procedure would catch any remaining errors or omissions.

Advocates for modernizing the registration system seek expand the franchise, improve the accuracy of the voter rolls, and reduce waste and cost in election management. We hope to work with you in Champaign County to ensure that any modernization effort benefits all.

For more information, please contact the Brennan Center or to visit our website (www.brennancenter.org).

]]> By: Joyce McCloy http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/09/15/disenfranchising-student-voters-through-modernization/comment-page-1/#comment-676 Joyce McCloy Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:59:35 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/?p=155#comment-676 Mark, thanks for that. Good point since college students already have trouble getting to vote. In a related subject, what do you think of the latest election reform, that of "pre-registration" for 17 year olds as soon as they turn 17? This goes beyond registering 17 year olds who will turn 18 in the next primary or election. Please don't get me wrong, I want to enfranchise the youth, but some of these kids will move when they turn 18, leaving town for school or military etc. What happens once they are registered and if they don't feel like voting? What happens to these pre-registration forms? Mark, thanks for that. Good point since college students already have trouble getting to vote.

In a related subject, what do you think of the latest election reform, that of “pre-registration” for 17 year olds as soon as they turn 17? This goes beyond registering 17 year olds who will turn 18 in the next primary or election.

Please don’t get me wrong, I want to enfranchise the youth, but some of these kids will move when they turn 18, leaving town for school or military etc. What happens once they are registered and if they don’t feel like voting?

What happens to these pre-registration forms?

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