Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Voter registration weirdness
updated 1/20/05
My wife and I each got an official letter from the town Registrar of Voters today. On the envelope it says, "DO NOT RISK YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE." Inside it has a very formal form to fill out in English or Spanish. The header says, "NOTICE OF CANVASS IMPORTANT! THIS CONCERNS YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE."
If there's no change, you check a box labeled, "My residence is at the address shown above." It doesn't say, "No change," or "My address is correct." The rest of the form is similarly indirect, obtuse and might be seen as carrying an implied threat.
Who do you think might look at this form and say, "Woah! I'm not filling this out."? Some people who absolutely, totally qualify to vote might be discouraged by such language. Pre-election, I heard one of the Fox News talking heads describe such people as "marginal voters." Lessee, wrong gender? Don't own property? Skin too dark? Can't read the fine print? Confused by deliberately confusing ballots? Need to go to work so you don't have time to wait in a long voting line? Have the same name as a possible felon? You are probably a MARGINAL VOTER!
If we don't fill out the form just so, are we marginal voters too? Come to think of it, there is an implied threat in there.
My wife and I each got an official letter from the town Registrar of Voters today. On the envelope it says, "DO NOT RISK YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE." Inside it has a very formal form to fill out in English or Spanish. The header says, "NOTICE OF CANVASS IMPORTANT! THIS CONCERNS YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE."
If there's no change, you check a box labeled, "My residence is at the address shown above." It doesn't say, "No change," or "My address is correct." The rest of the form is similarly indirect, obtuse and might be seen as carrying an implied threat.
Who do you think might look at this form and say, "Woah! I'm not filling this out."? Some people who absolutely, totally qualify to vote might be discouraged by such language. Pre-election, I heard one of the Fox News talking heads describe such people as "marginal voters." Lessee, wrong gender? Don't own property? Skin too dark? Can't read the fine print? Confused by deliberately confusing ballots? Need to go to work so you don't have time to wait in a long voting line? Have the same name as a possible felon? You are probably a MARGINAL VOTER!
If we don't fill out the form just so, are we marginal voters too? Come to think of it, there is an implied threat in there.
Comments:
Are you sure it really came from the Registrar of Voters? If so, I wonder how they justified the expense?
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