Pa. to consider vote-by-mail ballot system to increase turnout

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20070530_ap_patoconsidervotebymailballotsystemtoincreaseturnout.html

Adopting a mail-in voting system could improve Pennsylvania's anemic voter turnout, the chairwoman of the House State Government Committee said Wednesday.

Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, said she will summon witnesses for hearings on the subject in the coming months.

"It's a long-term project," Josephs said. "I don't expect we're going to have universal mail-in voting at the end of this session, and I don't have any time frame for it except that I want it to happen and I want to start the conversation."

About half the states, including Pennsylvania, do not allow no-excuse absentee voting. Here, the state constitution allows absentee votes by people serving in the military, those who will be out of town or have a religious conflict on election day, those who are too ill or disabled to go to a polling place and people who must vote ahead of time because of election duties.

Oregon, which began voting by mail in statewide elections in 1993, boasted the nation's third-highest turnout during the 2004 presidential race, according to a Census Bureau report issued two months ago. Only Minnesota and Wisconsin, which allow voters to register on election day, had higher rates.

[meow2u3]

1. I like that idea

This way, PA voters don't have to trek in the rain (it rains big time in the fall in PA) and cold just to vote. Repukes have the means (car, churches) to vote, but Dems, many who are poor and have to work too late to get to the polls, would benefit from vote by mail. Some repukes, most who are poor "lunchbucket conservatives", would also be able to vote.

[DemSoccerMom]

2. It's good in theory . . .

but to be perfectly honest, I would think that voter fraud would be made EASIER w/ write-in votes. When I was in college (I graduated in '99) on the other side of the state, I used absentee balloting, but after the recent voter fraud that's been going on, I would have serious reservations about doing that now.

And, as much as I hate to say it, I fear that allowing such mail-in votes would only further disenfranchise (some) voters. If your name sounds too "ethnic," your vote could conveniently get "lost" until after the election.

I guess I just have no faith in the system anymore.

[Cosmocat]

3. Yeah ...

Oregon is a pretty progressive state and all, but I don't like the idea of mail in votes much at all ... I mean, we have big issues up here with not having a "paper trail" ... What kind of accountable paper trail does this provide ???/

[Toasterlad]

4. Agreed.

So much potential for fraud. Just who will be counting these things, anyhow? Who will be receiving them? I'd like to know more about how this is all supposed to work.