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To the editor:
Sen. Todd Young has announced his opposition to S.1, For the People Act, which sets forth reforms to voting, ethic rules and campaign finance that would strengthen the country’s democracy.
Sen. Young attacks the bill for “taking a system that is actually working quite well and applies drastic election reforms.” Unfortunately, Indiana’s voting system is not “actually working quite well.” Even in 2020, a year that witnessed high voter turnout, Indiana ranked 43rd out of 50 states and D.C.
The reasons for Indiana’s low turnout can be attributed to Indiana’s voter registration deadlines, voter ID law, and other voting structures that create unnecessary barriers for Hoosier voters. For example, our Voter ID law is one of the most restrictive in the nation; only six other states employ such an ID law. Voter registration ends 29 days before Election Day, the earliest date allowed under federal law. The 6 p.m. polls closing on Election Day is the earliest in the nation.
The For the People Act would allow same day registration, would offer options to the ID requirement in federal elections, would allow two weeks for early voting, would allow access to absentee ballots to all registered voters upon request, and would unify standards for updating voter rolls, among other changes.
Sen. Young says he opposes S.1 because it “federalizes states’ authority over their election processes” and is a partisan “power grab.” States and local governments would continue to administer all elections and would continue to set policies for their jurisdictions. Wanting every eligible voter to have equal access to the ballot box is not partisan.
Call Sen. Young (202-224-5623) and remind him that the For the People Act is in the best interest of his constituents and of our country’s democracy. Click here to learn more.
Respectfully,
The League of Women Voters of Hamilton County
Questions? Contact the League of Women Voters of Hamilton County at lwvhc@gmail.com. Learn more at lwvhcin.org or follow the group’s Facebook page.
Low voter turnout is the result of one thing only ; apathy.
School systems count on it as evidenced by only holding property tax increase referendums in non-presidential election years.
Many of us have friends that will rail about government all day long .. & those same folks don’t vote. Strange indeed.
That said, it shouldn’t be any harder to vote than say, get a gun for instance.
Some form of vetting is warranted as evidenced by the 2016 Presidential election which made apparent that the former is as dangerous as the latter.
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