Voter Registration

[Lesverts]

Why is it so difficult to register to vote in the United States? I am genuinely perplexed by this. Why is the process so onerous?

In Canada, we register through a question on our tax return. You check a box. When they process your taxes your citizenship is confirmed and voila. Registered to vote and before an election you get a voter registration card that tells you when and where you can vote (Canadians generally have 3 options, advanced polling dates, vote at the returning office for your riding (district) or election day). Furthermore you can register at your polling station or the returning office when you go to vote. You require one of; photo ID to vote (driver's license or photo ID card') or photo ID and proof of address or have someone with you that can vouch for your identity and eligibility to vote in that riding (district) that has ID.

I am not sure how it works in other countries, but it just seems like voting is a hassle in the US and can be made easier or harder at the whim of government officials.

Oops, I meant for this to be in the controversy section. Can someone please move this. Sorry.

 

[tvguy]

Not controversial at all. It has been very easy to register to vote in the U.S. When you renew your driver's license, they will do it for you automatically, or you can do it online.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Why is it so difficult to register to vote in the United States? I am genuinely perplexed by this. Why is the process so onerous?

In Canada, we register through a question on our tax return. You check a box. When they process your taxes your citizenship is confirmed and voila. Registered to vote and before an election you get a voter registration card that tells you when and where you can vote (Canadians generally have 3 options, advanced polling dates, vote at the returning office for your riding (district) or election day). Furthermore you can register at your polling station or the returning office when you go to vote. You require one of; photo ID to vote (driver's license or photo ID card') or photo ID and proof of address or have someone with you that can vouch for your identity and eligibility to vote in that riding (district) that has ID.

I am not sure how it works in other countries, but it just seems like voting is a hassle in the US and can be made easier or harder at the whim of government officials.

Oops, I meant for this to be in the controversy section. Can someone please move this. Sorry.

https://vote.gov/

 

[lynxstch]

It's very simple, not complicated at all. I have no idea why you think it is

 

[Lesverts]

So why is voter registration/voter suppression/voter ID laws etc such a big talking point in the news whenever an election starts rolling around? I am genuinely curious.

 

[Buzz Rules]

So why is voter registration/voter suppression/voter ID laws etc such a big talking point in the news whenever an election starts rolling around? I am genuinely curious.

It's complicated on how to vote sometimes. Not registration. Voting in person with or without ID or whether voting absentee is allowed in a state. Polling places and their location can be an issue in poorer places. And the fact election day is not a paid day off is also an issue sometimes. Most companies give paid leave to go vote though.

 

[longboard55]

Like has been said, its a talking point. Super easy in California

 

[bcla]

It's very easy in Califonria. It's the default in California when applying or renewing a driver license or state ID. It's also easy to register online or pick up a registration form (typically at most public libraries).

The Help America Vote Act actually makes it pretty easy. No ID is required to register, although most states require ID at the polls.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not controversial at all. It has been very easy to register to vote in the U.S. When you renew your driver's license, they will do it for you automatically, or you can do it online.

That's not true in every state. In my state you must register in person at a designated voter registration site, and the agency that handles driver license control is not involved in any way.

OP, in the US voter registration procedure is decided by each state legislature, and some, mostly for political reasons, choose to make the process more difficult than others do. (Not appropriate to go further into it than that unless the thread moves to the subforum.)

 

[tvguy]

It's complicated on how to vote sometimes. Not registration. Voting in person with or without ID or whether voting absentee is allowed in a state. Polling places and their location can be an issue in poorer places. And the fact election day is not a paid day off is also an issue sometimes. Most companies give paid leave to go vote though.

Never worked for a company that gave paid time to go vote, but by law they are required to go vote on your own time.

 

[tvguy]

That's not true in every state. In my state you must register in person at a designated voter registration site, and the agency that handles driver license control is not involved in any way.

OP, in the US voter registration procedure is decided by each state legislature, and some, mostly for political reasons, choose to make the process more difficult than others do. (Not appropriate to go further into it than that unless the thread moves to the subforum.)

Yeah, that is what I did 50 years ago, go to a designated voter registration location. They since have added other options and the website Buzz Rules posted being one of the options.

 

[barkley]

super easy in my state and it seems as though any forms for any purpose that my state issues has a specific individual question inquiring if one wishes to register.

 

[_19disnA]

Practices are set by each state and probably to have a real discussion on why there are efforts to restrict voter registration belongs in that new controversial area.

Efforts by some groups to place restrictions on who can vote has been around a long time and isn't a recent phenomenon.

 

[focusondisney]

One reason the OP might have meant to put this on the CT forum is the new executive order signed this week. It aims to make new regulations for voter registration & has several controversial aspects. How easy it will be to register if those plans are implemented is debatable.

OP, if those are the things you want to discuss, maybe open a thread there.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Very easy, in fact I was registered to vote in 2 states when I moved this year because, apparently, a person needs to advise Pennsylvania to take you off the rolls (I had no idea) but in Massachusetts, where I moved, I was automatically enrolled (also no idea) so look at that - completely out of my hands and 2 states. Of course, it is legal to vote only once, which I did. But I did start to wonder, if I move again will there then be 3 states, how many states can you be open in at once & are there people with a collection? It is quirky to say the least.

 

[EACarlson]

Why is it so difficult to register to vote in the United States? I am genuinely perplexed by this. Why is the process so onerous?

In Canada, we register through a question on our tax return. You check a box. When they process your taxes your citizenship is confirmed and voila. Registered to vote and before an election you get a voter registration card that tells you when and where you can vote (Canadians generally have 3 options, advanced polling dates, vote at the returning office for your riding (district) or election day). Furthermore you can register at your polling station or the returning office when you go to vote. You require one of; photo ID to vote (driver's license or photo ID card') or photo ID and proof of address or have someone with you that can vouch for your identity and eligibility to vote in that riding (district) that has ID.

I am not sure how it works in other countries, but it just seems like voting is a hassle in the US and can be made easier or harder at the whim of government officials.

Oops, I meant for this to be in the controversy section. Can someone please move this. Sorry.

It's not. In my state it is an online process where you input your DL number, or you can bring your DL to the polls and register on election day. In my previous state, it was a box you checked on your DL application. There was an effort to have it done automatically when you got a DL, but I think that failed.
Each state determines how it wants to run their elections within the very limited framework given by the Constitution and federal law. Some states put more effort on verifying who is voting, and some states put more effort on getting as many votes as possible.

 

[Kae]

It is super easy; it just takes a small bit of effort. I have registered since I turned 18, and my dad took me right after school. I moved a few times in the same state and It was very easy to update, and this was all before computers. Most, if not all, states give out free IDs.

 

[cabanafrau]

Very easy, in fact I was registered to vote in 2 states when I moved this year because, apparently, a person needs to advise Pennsylvania to take you off the rolls (I had no idea) but in Massachusetts, where I moved, I was automatically enrolled (also no idea) so look at that - completely out of my hands and 2 states. Of course, it is legal to vote only once, which I did. But I did start to wonder, if I move again will there then be 3 states, how many states can you be open in at once & are there people with a collection? It is quirky to say the least.

It could only be 3 states if you moved and have not informed Pennsylvania, which you now are aware is necessary.

 

[longboard55]

Giving everyone a day off would be very expensive for employers, and face it, many people would end up in a 4 day vacation in key west and not vote at all. Voting by mail is super easy and has paper records

 

[georgina]

Very easy, in fact I was registered to vote in 2 states when I moved this year because, apparently, a person needs to advise Pennsylvania to take you off the rolls (I had no idea) but in Massachusetts, where I moved, I was automatically enrolled (also no idea) so look at that - completely out of my hands and 2 states. Of course, it is legal to vote only once, which I did. But I did start to wonder, if I move again will there then be 3 states, how many states can you be open in at once & are there people with a collection? It is quirky to say the least.

There is an organization that compares voter rolls to correct this, (ERIC - electronic registration information center) but oddly many voter-conspiracy-theory-states have recently pulled out of it, which seems at odds with the stated desire of secure elections. Massachusetts and PA should both be in it, if so they would have caught up with you.

I ran elections for many years in my PA district, and my kids who had moved away were still in the poll book for a few years after they left. As an election officer I would prevent anyone from voting if they had moved and registered elsewhere. We did cancel our PA registrations when we moved out of the state.