voter registration

[cellio]

With all the drives to get people registered to vote in time for the November election, and at least one state reportedly headed to court over deadlines (caused, apparently, by Columbus Day being a holiday), I've been wondering... why do we even need voter registration today? (Aside from preserving some government jobs, I mean.) What's wrong with saying: show up at the poll in your assigned location, show proof of citizenship and of residence, be checked against a list of people who can't vote (mainly people who've already voted, but I think felons can't vote?), and vote. Since voting is districted, election officials can make sure any no-vote list is distributed to the right places in advance -- no Internet connection required. From there, it's just checking that the person is in the right polling place and hasn't already been here. Nobody has to have done paperwork in advance; everybody who's eligible and wants to gets to vote. Wouldn't this enfranchise more voters than the current system?

(You already have to give your name when you show up to vote and be checked off the list, so there's no privacy issue that isn't already present.)

Comments

[alienor.livejournal.com]

Proof of citizenship may be issued under a different name from the person's legal name (for example, after marriage or a gender change). So you're requiring people who are already marginalized to go through an additional step.

Proof of residence comes to you - unless you rent a room (utilities included) because you are too poor to own/rent your own place. Or maybe you're couch surfing and between jobs (so no bills). Or you're married and your husband insists on controlling all of the bills.

Jobs, leases, credit cards, bank accounts, library cards, school enrollment, or the abilities to travel are not things that everyone has access to, nor are they American rights. Voting is.