Get out the vote
Now is the right time to revamp registration rules
Eligible citizens have a right — arguably, an obligation — to vote.
But exercising the right and fulfilling the obligation are easier to do in some states than in others. Pennsylvania falls in the middle of the pack. Not good enough.
Gov. Tom Wolf said he intends to make 2019 the year of greater access to the ballot box. The timing is right.
He had gotten off to a good start in 2015 when online voter registration was implemented. But, the momentum petered. That is unfortunate because — not surprisingly — the states with the least restrictive voting laws have higher voter turnout. That conclusion was part of an analysis published last year in the Election Law Journal.
The study assessed and ranked voter ease: At the top of the list was Oregon, where voters are registered automatically and the state mails out ballots to every voter. No. 50 was Mississippi, which requires photo ID at the polls. Pennsylvania ranked 31st. The study looked at conditions from the 2016 election like polling hours, ID requirements, and registration deadlines.
There are some changes Pennsylvania could make that would cost no money and encourage an engaged citizenry. Allowing 17-year-olds to vote in a primary election so long as they will be 18 by the general election has no downside and capitalizes on the enthusiasm of youth. Restoring voting rights to ex-offenders who have completed their prison sentences encourages a return to society and responsible citizenship.
One of the most impactful changes could present some hurdles but is worth evaluating: same-day voter registration. Currently, registrations are required 30 days in advance of election day. But same-day registration, often right at the polling place, is happening in 17 states. Why not here?
About 88 percent of Pennsylvanians eligible to vote actually are registered to vote (some 8.6 million people as of November 2018). That’s not bad. In fact, it’s better than the national rate of about 78 percent in 2014, according to Pew Charitable Trusts. We can do better.
Some argue that citizens shouldn’t be cajoled into exercising the privilege of voting. That’s wrong thinking. No one should be forced to vote but citizens should be encouraged. Some need a little push. An informed and interested electorate is the ideal, but the starting point for engagement reasonably could be the simple fact that one is registered to vote.