No One in America Should Have to Wait 7 Hours to Vote

[JackN415]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/no-one-in-america-should-have-to-wait-7-hours-to-vote/264506/

What's happening at polling stations in Ohio and Florida isn't some fluke of nature or breakdown in equipment. It's all part of a partisan design.

This must be addressed by Congress, at Federal level, not state.

[seabeyond]

1. couldnt agree more. nt

[boingboinh]

2. LOL! Good luck with that.

If anything expect new laws to build on them as success stories by the gop. And as history shows the dems won't put up much of a fight. What baffles me is why do all of these states have so many republicans in high office? The problems seems that democrats don't tend to come out for local elections as much as they do during generals.

[sammytko]

15. there are repubs in office because dems don't vote in off year elections!!!!!

They need to vote all the time.

[hollysmom]

3. those responsible should be criminally prosecuted for interferring with the vote.

[Historic NY]

4. Its time to have an "Arab" Spring with those in power & responsible....

they need to be called out, dragged out, and voted out.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

5. Or worry about their election being stolen. nt

[Thrill]

6. Its called voter supression

Notice its happening where there are Repke Governors.

[rhett o rick]

7. Is there an organization taking this on? Like moveon? nm

[LiberalFighter]

8. If I understand correctly any law can only be enacted that effects a federal election.

But that doesn't mean that any federal law regarding elections can't influence states to comply with state and local elections when a federal race is also involved. Federal elections are held every 2 years. Require that a voter is able to complete their ballot within 3 minutes. Require that a polling place cannot have over 1000 voters or require that there should be x number of voting machines for every x amount of voters. And they shall be used.

[JackN415]

9. The US goes around the world promoting democracy and ...

the conservative media would be vociferous about voter suppression etc.

"Democracy, a great thing you should have it," unless it hits the RW power. Then they turn to be the Brown Shirts.

[faithfulcitizen]

10. I have toddlers and I could NOT wait 7 hours. If I was a retired 60 year man, I could.

It's a damn shame. I think the President is going to win, but this is a DAMN SHAME that so many people will not be able to vote for this reason.

[JackN415]

12. If I have to take my special need child along, forget it...

[godai]

11. Isn't this related to limited polling places during early voting?

Won't things be a lot better tomorrow?

[JackN415]

13. yes, but why should this be? why make voting difficult? how much is the extra cost..

for more early polling places? it means one can reduce the number of polling places on the election day to compensate the cost, as the total number of registered voters is the same. Even if it costs more, it's worth tax payers' money.

[redqueen]

17. They've been much worse before.

No One Should Have to Stand in Line for 10 Hours to Vote

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/opinion/26tue4.html

[godai]

20. Needed more voting machines at the limited polling places.

TOMORROW - No One Should Have to Stand in Line for 10 Hours to Vote

...and I don't expect that, anywhere.

[redqueen]

14. ...

...

This is happening not because of a natural disaster or breakdown in machinery. It is happening by partisan design. Alarmed by the strong Democratic turnout in early voting in 2008, Republican lawmakers, including Governor Rick Scott, reduced the number of early voting days from 14 to eight. When the restrictions were challenged in federal court under the Voting Rights Act, a three-judge panel said they would have a discriminatory impact upon minority voters. But only five of the state's 67 counties are covered by the federal civil rights law.

When the remaining restrictions were challenged in federal court, a George W. Bush appointee said there was no proof that the reduced hours would "impermissibly burden" minority voters. How many hours in line must a Florida voter wait before the burden upon her becomes an "impermissible" one? If Florida's election officials, and its Republican lawmakers, and its state and federal judges, all were required to stand in line for seven hours to vote those long lines would go away forever. You know it, I know it, and so do those officials.

How about Ohio, another "battleground" state governed by partisan fiat. Its election rules are administered by a secretary of state, Jon Husted, who just a few years ago was the GOP speaker of the state house. Like their counterparts in Florida, Ohio's Republican lawmakers sought to restrict wildly popular early-voting hours around the state. And again the federal courts blunted the impact of their new rules. So what has Husted done? He's focused his energy this weekend ginning up ways to justify discarding provisional ballots cast by his fellow citizens.

These are just two recent examples. There are more. But they all have a few core things in common. In each instance, elected officials are making it harder for American citizens to vote and to have their votes counted. And in each instance, the partisan restrictions are designed to impact the elderly, and the poor, and students. The Constitution gives power to the states to handle elections. But what we are seeing is one party's systemic abuse of that power to disenfranchise likely voters of another party. Don't believe me? Let's go to the videotape.

...

K&R

[GCP]

16. It's like the Third World

Thanks to repuke secretaries of state. They should be jailed for obstruction of the vote.

[midnight]

18. Exactly... Why can't our elected officials protect our right to vote? Why is this important aspect

of our community involvement so derailed... It's because the private corporations have taken it over, and make us pay for all their special software, computer hackers, and their machines... That is the only reason the one percent allow the govt. to exist.....

[craigmatic]

19. Yup there needs to be 1 standard and an independent nonpartisan agency to handle US elections.