Equal Voting Rights Still In Question in 2009

Provisional ballots, given to voters who find that they are not enrolled to vote at their polling place, were publicly scrutinized during the 2008 presidential election for the uneven treatment across the states. "In 2004, 1.9 million provisional ballots were cast nationwide, of which 676,000 weren't counted,"according to an October 2008 Wall Street Journal report. "In the 2006 election, 20% of the 800,000 provisional ballots were discarded."

"No election will ever reach perfection, and it is difficult to envision a battleground state such as Ohio escaping lawsuits given the scrutiny that has grown common since the 2000 presidential meltdown," the Beacon Journal editorializes. "But in the end, reducing the number of provisional ballots is not just about avoiding lawsuits, although that's a worthy goal. It's about making the system as user-friendly as possible, expanding turnout even beyond what Barack Obama achieved last year."

Quick Links:

www.ElectionLegislation.org

In Other News:

Perry delivers speech to Legislature - Associated Press
...Perry said he agrees with Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on requiring more voter identification...

Early option for polls gets Gov. Henry's vote - The Oklahoman
Oklahoma voters should have more time to take part in early voting, Gov. Brad Henry said Wednesday.

LAWRENCE: Felons' voting rights debated - The Princeton Packet [N.J.]
Charles Holman has a simple request. He wants to register to vote.

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