Voting Reform Needed

Every time Republicans have tried to push through reform of the voting process, Democrats have blocked it claiming "voter suppression."

What they really mean is that they reserve the right to commit voter fraud.

Consider reader Morgan H.'s experience and ask yourself if this is really how it should be:

So I voted today. I was shocked by how dysfunctional the whole process was. I didn't have to show ID. I just told them my name and they found my name on a roster and I initialed next to it. When I was actually voting it was marking bubbles on a scantron sheet. From my Emmys experience, I KNOW how many problems there can be with scantrons. Also, it would be quite easy to "adjust" the ballot box thing so that the incorrect bubbles are marked without the marker knowing an error was made. The wording on the ballot, especially for all the various propositions was also very confusing and often times quite biased, either for or against a proposition. I can totally see how older or uneducated people could be confused by the whole process. I know I was and I don't consider myself to be too old nor too uneducated. After I was done marking the scantron, I wandered around trying to find out what I was supposed to do with my ballot. I finally found a guy at a table who said he would take it. I gave it to him and that was that. As I walked out of the building (Santa Monica City Hall) I realized that I have no idea if my vote will actually be counted. It may have ended up in a trash can. It may be fed through the scanner backwards or upside down. It may get lost. Who knows? I sure don't.

So as I was driving to work I didn't feel good about doing my civic duty. I felt anxious because I didn't trust the whole process at all. I didn't feel comfortable that my scantron was marked the way I intended. I didn't feel comfortable that my scantron would be counted correctly. I didn't feel comfortable that dead people or people claiming to be other people were not voting. I just didn't feel comfortable. There has to be a better way to vote. It isn't like we are living in the early 1900's. We have technology. Let's use it. I think proper technology would reduce fraud, improve accuracy, and produce valid results on a much more timely basis.

So what I am really trying to get at is that I am really, really, really, (yes three reallys) happy that the whole election crap is over.

Amen.


If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.