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Of course you could just register to vote by itself. So while I would not put some nefarious motives past people who elect Ted Cruz, this particular instance se

by Fins 8y ago

Of course you could just register to vote by itself. So while I would not put some nefarious motives past people who elect Ted Cruz, this particular instance seems less about voter suppression, and more about millenials wailing that they have to lift their behinds from their comfy chairs . And to be more cynical about it, if someone can't be bothered to mail the application (that you can generate on the same TX Secretary of State site just as well as on Vote.org) then i am not sure I want them voting. I would assume that Vote.org also is a person (which the deputy registrar statute seems to require) and they have been appointed such for every county in Texas, as it also seems to require.

SwellJoe 8y ago
"Of course you could just register to vote by itself." Though without an ID, you still can't vote in Texas. I don't believe voter suppression (and that's what all of this is) or gerrymandering is compatible with a functioning democracy. The harder it is to register and to vote, and the less your vote counts because of systemic manipulations, the fewer people will vote...not for lack of desire or right to vote. It always costs time to vote, and some folks don't have a lot of time to spare, due to work, or because they are caregivers for children or older family members, or because they have limited transportation options, etc., and in the end they often feel their vote won't count for anything (and, in Texas, they'd historically be right...we have among the most gerrymandering districts in the country, and we have among the strictest and most onerous voting laws). "I would assume that Vote.org also is a person (which the deputy registrar statute seems to require) and they have been appointed such for every county in Texas, as it also seems to require." Did you read the article, even a little bit? They discuss the fact that legal counsel was involved from the beginning of the process, discussions were had with the relevant counties, etc. They did everything by the book. The state just changed the rules afterward.
- Fins 8y ago
  I read the law that you linked, and with all the IANAL disclaimers, deputy registrar does not apply to Vote.org. Lawyers might have to fight it out, but the SOS position seems to have at least some merit -- whatever Vote will send to the counties is not exactly the original signature, as required. And with filling out the same form on SOS website and then signing/mailing it doesn't exactly take some critical amount of extra effort compared to filling out exact same information (and then sending your signature to... somebody) on Vote.org. I'm still not convinced that this is what voter suppression looks like. As for voting without ID I can't even begin to comprehend how verifying that a person voting is eligible to vote is "voter suppression". And with TX allowing you to use even an expired ID to vote, this seems to be more about TX voting "wrong" than anything substantial. Now, I think CA's "permanent absentee voter" (which is what I had there) is a convenient thing, and if anything voting should be done on a non-working day, but this is hardly something one state can be faulted for.

by Fins 8y ago

SwellJoe 8y ago

"Of course you could just register to vote by itself." Though without an ID, you still can't vote in Texas. I don't believe voter suppression (and that's what all of this is) or gerrymandering is compatible with a functioning democracy. The harder it is to register and to vote, and the less your vote counts because of systemic manipulations, the fewer people will vote...not for lack of desire or right to vote. It always costs time to vote, and some folks don't have a lot of time to spare, due to work, or because they are caregivers for children or older family members, or because they have limited transportation options, etc., and in the end they often feel their vote won't count for anything (and, in Texas, they'd historically be right...we have among the most gerrymandering districts in the country, and we have among the strictest and most onerous voting laws). "I would assume that Vote.org also is a person (which the deputy registrar statute seems to require) and they have been appointed such for every county in Texas, as it also seems to require." Did you read the article, even a little bit? They discuss the fact that legal counsel was involved from the beginning of the process, discussions were had with the relevant counties, etc. They did everything by the book. The state just changed the rules afterward.

Fins 8y ago
I read the law that you linked, and with all the IANAL disclaimers, deputy registrar does not apply to Vote.org. Lawyers might have to fight it out, but the SOS position seems to have at least some merit -- whatever Vote will send to the counties is not exactly the original signature, as required. And with filling out the same form on SOS website and then signing/mailing it doesn't exactly take some critical amount of extra effort compared to filling out exact same information (and then sending your signature to... somebody) on Vote.org. I'm still not convinced that this is what voter suppression looks like. As for voting without ID I can't even begin to comprehend how verifying that a person voting is eligible to vote is "voter suppression". And with TX allowing you to use even an expired ID to vote, this seems to be more about TX voting "wrong" than anything substantial. Now, I think CA's "permanent absentee voter" (which is what I had there) is a convenient thing, and if anything voting should be done on a non-working day, but this is hardly something one state can be faulted for.