Democrat Vote Reform: Modern or Mistake?

The New Jersey Senate is likely to take up a few bills some time soon that would make changes to the way that we can vote here in New Jersey. The changes range from subtle to sweeping, but one concern seems rather pervasive throughout. Would they simply open up our already fragile voting system to more fraud and misconduct?

The first bill is the worst offender. The bill would allow New Jerseyans to register to vote over the internet. Seeing internet security systems breached everyday in some of the biggest corporations in the world, could we really ever rest easy that our online voter registration system would be secure and not open to tampering?

Some political heavy-hitters with weak morals would surely pay vast sums of money to boost the rolls with invalid names with the intention of perpetuating fraud. It happens now with the current system, but with the paper coming into the office there is a physical record and the fact that it had to either be mailed or brought in by an actual person makes it all the more likely to catch an irregularity. Could that slight governmental advantage be lost on a digital system?

The second bill is the most inconsequential. It would simply allow county clerk offices to send sample ballots to every registered voter, which they must do under the current law, via email rather than traditional mail. There is not really any possibility of fraud based in this law. However, there is the possibility of confusion. Spam boxes pick up all sorts of messages that we don’t want them to. Additionally, while it is often hard to imagine for someone involved in politics, many people are not actually attached to their email all day every day.

There are definite positives though. This bill would likely save a ton of money in printing and postage costs. When you consider that every registered voter receives a ballot, but only about half actually vote, the idea of cutting costs in this area seems like a good one.

Finally, the last bill would allow voters to vote by mail in every election without having to apply for a ballot each year. This would certainly cut down on the annoyance of having to send a vote by mail application each year, but in all honesty, is sending in a vote by mail application once per year really that much to ask? Do we have to make voting so effortless that we open it up to mistakes, as this bill would?

The thing about people is that they tend to be both mobile and mortal. What I mean by that is, voters move from house to house, town to town, county to county, and finally, state to state. And when they do so, informing their former county clerk’s office is not always at the top of their to do list. Some people move and just completely neglect to register in their new location. How would the county know to stop sending vote by mail ballots to their old address? What would stop the new owner from sending in an extra vote? Additionally, voters are mortal, they tend to die at some point, and many voters who take advantage of our extremely liberal vote by mail laws tend to be seniors. The concern here is the same with moving. What is to stop a new home owner or tenant, or even the former voter’s remaining family from continuing to submit their ballot and illegally voting?

The issue really comes down to whether these laws are modern or simply mistakes. Do we really need to make it easier to register and vote in this country or is it really easy enough? While other states are making voter fraud more difficult with voter ID requirements, why are our Democrats pushing for measures that arguably make fraud easier to commit?

Showing up in person to vote, identifying yourself, and pulling the lever for the candidates of your choice is a system that works and has worked for years. It is the best we can do to ensure one person – one vote. While so many things in government suffer from a lack of modern vision, perhaps voting should be an activity that is left alone.

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