how the UK does it - voter registration - they wonder about us

[donsu]

http://www.buzzflash.com/mailbag/04/10/mai04289.html

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Subject: Voter Registration

Had to let you know, here in the U.K., we are legally obligated to register every year to vote. This is done by the local authority delivering registration forms to all households. The head of each family has to make legal declarations on who is resident there and of an age to vote. At an election everyone entitled to vote is issued a card which, when taken to the polling station, is checked off against an electoral roll. Before the voter receives their voting sheet, it is punched with a special marker to identify the election to which it applies. No one is assailed by firms soliciting their voter registrations, etc. ALL voters are recorded by their local authority, unless they choose to break the laws relating to registration. This then puts the onus of none registration on the individual concerned. Most people follow a lawful course because there is no point to not to, save when a right wing Thatcher government brought in a totally unjust poll tax (that is, taxing every person on the electoral roll the same amount whether employed or not, retired or wealthy, disabled or fit to work). Then some decided to break the law and not to register, thus causing massive amounts of disruption trying to find them negating the benefit needed to support the rubbish policies of the government at that time.

Why the leaders of the free world in America find it justifiable to leave voters in a position of being disenfranchised by underhanded methods beggars belief.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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[freetobegay]

1. One reason would be population.

[DrWeird]

3. So 60 million is fine 260 million is impossible?

Jesus, it's like you don't want people to register.

[freetobegay]

6. It's like I don't want people to register?

Get a grip on reality! Look how long it takes to do a census in America & we only do that once every 10 years! Thats what to expect going household to household in America.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. The UK's "going household to household"

just consists of a letter through the letter box, with a postage-paid envelope back to the local council. It really is a simple system - give the names of people over 16 (so they're ready for future elections; you also give the ages of anyone over 65, since the same system is used for jury service, and those over 65 can refuse to do that if they want, and those over 70 aren't allowed to). Anyone who is eligible to vote in some elections but not all (Commonwealth and EU citizens) must give their nationality too. Then you write in the house address, sign it, and put it in the post. That's it. When you move address, you actually have to get in touch with the council to tell them.

Since councils know the location of homes in their area, the only people who miss out are the homeless. It's fairly difficult to get them on official lists however you do it.

How does the USA know who is eligible for jury service? Could registration be combined with that list, in the same way as the UK?

[yvr girl]

10. You can just have more people doing the work

I would imagine that you have more polling stations on election day to handle the population. Same principle.

In Canada, we used to be enumerated (people going door-to-door) now they just update from other records.

You can check a box on your income tax return to be on the voters list. Pretty easy. I moved, so I had to change my address for my care insurance (which also notifies the motor vehicle branch to send me an update for my driver's license.) This action also updated the voters' list. (So I discovered during our last federal election.)

http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=ec90780&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false

[aquart]

2. Britains never experienced "frontier" mentality.

"What was your name in the States?

Was it Olsen or Johnson or Bates?

Did you murder your wife and run for your life?

What was your name in the States?"

This land was the refuge where people came to start over. That mindset remains in many places.

[Rex_Goodheart]

4. Our biggest problem in the USA is our Constitution...

which gives each of our 50 states the power to individually determine methods for vote registration and vote casting.

I've never been a proponent of the notion of "states". I think it's quite absurd that a man in Texas would be executed while a man in California can get parole for the same crime.

Down with the Constitution! (keep the Bill of Rights, though... except that pesky 2nd one)

[freetobegay]

7. LOL

"Down with the Constitution! (keep the Bill of Rights, though... except that pesky 2nd one)" I would expect something like this from freeperville!
:eyes:

[rogerashton]

9. I agree that federalism is not all it is cracked up to be.

We would be better off with a unitary republic. I think we are in a small minority with that, though.

[July]

5. In Spain, no registration is required because they have nat'l. IDs.

You show up at your polling place and show the ID. They have tables manned by citizens who serve the way we do on juries, and each table is accountable for a list of 300 voters. It's all paper. Citizens manning the tables have to count and agree on the totals before everything (the ballots) is sealed in an envelope and forwarded to a central location. Any questions, they recount until they all have ascertained that they have the same numbers. At the central location, envelopes are opened only if there is a question about the numbers.

[rogerashton]

8. Let's be honest.

If we did it that way black folks would vote.

American Indians and Hispanics and Quebecois and Acadians and immigrants too.

Can't have that. </sarcasm>

[SidDithers]

11. Another view, from Canada.

we have a box we can check on our personal income tax forms, which allows our name to be added to the National Register of Electors. Before elections, a card is mailed out confirming your eligibility and assigning your polling station.

If you don't get a card, you can have your name added to the National Register. Even if you don't do that, you can go to a polling place on election day with a piece of photo ID, and proof of residency in that ward. You sign a declaration of elegibility, and then you can vote.

Sid

[Deja Q]

13. Thatcher is human garbage

This is nothing, wait until after Selection 2004 for the worst...