Action | 2014 Absentee Material Omissions |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 7/21/2014 |
I strongly oppose the proposal to invalidate absentee ballots that do not include a generational identifier or a street designation. The generational identifier is available elsewhere on the form or envelope. And the street identifier is only significant if there are two or more street names and addresses with different identifiers (e.g., 2000 North Avenue and 2000 North Street) within the same zip code, which is extraordinarily unlikely; and even if that were to happen, the name of the voter would clarify which person is voting. I consider these proposed restrictions to be additional efforts to disenfranchise voters. While they have less impact than the literacy tests and poll taxes of years gone by, they are motivated by the same false premise of "protecting the integrity of the voting process" that "justified" those restrictions. The Board of Elections should focus on issues that actually have an adverse effect on the integrity of the voting process rather than trying to take steps such as these.