Beet Voting Reform Act

[StevenNick]

I have some issues with the whole absentee voting thing.  We already have elections that span a whole weekend, why do we need to further extend the time for voting?  I'm afraid absentee voting may just create confusion.  I'd like to know who is going to count these votes, who is going to keep track of absentee ballots, where they will be posted, etc.

[StevenNick]

Get rid of absentee voting and I wholeheartedly support this amendment.

I completely agree.  And by the way, this is going to have to be a constitutional amendment considering it would stands in direct violation of Article II, Section II, Clause I as well as Article I, Section 6, Clause 3 should it pass as a bill rather than a constitutional amendment.

[StevenNick]

While we're on the subject of election reform, I have a few other things I'd like to see added to the constitutional amendment.

For one thing, I'd like to see the registration deadline (See Article V, Clause IV) cut in half from 10 days before the election to five.  I would also like to see the 18 posts requirement removed.  Granted, 18 posts are not many, but too many new members who try to register are told that they cannot and simply never come back.  I would also like to include a provision making it illegal for a candidate to be in charge of administering the election

I would like to create a non partisan cabinet position of Secretary of Elections.  The Secretary of Elections would be barred from ever seeking elected office while serving in that capacity.  It would be the duty of the Secretary of Elections to make the ballot, open and close the polls, count the votes, watch out for voter fraud, maintain a current voter registration list, and any other election oriented tasks.

[StevenNick]

I hereby officially propose to amend the bill by removing the provision establishing absentee voting.

[StevenNick]

My fear is that absentee voting will introduce an unnecessary complication into the elections.  I'd like to keep elections on the forum as simple as possible.  At the very least I'd like to hear from Beet about how he plans on executing this amendment.  Where will the absentee ballots be sent?  Who will count them?  At what point can ballots be filled out?  How is absentee voting any different than simply extending the regular voting period?

[StevenNick]

Unless these absentee votes are somehow kept private, I will not vote for this bill.  Public absentee voting would only have the effect of opening the polls days early.  I fear that some voters may be influenced by the early returns among absentee votes and cast their ballot accordingly.  By only opening the polls at the appointed times, this can be minimized.