Readers React: DMV’s ‘motor voter’ errors are nothing compared to the real problem of voter suppression

To the editor: Errant voter registrations that occurred due to an IT database conversion error at the Department of Motor Vehicles have no relationship to the mythological beast of illegally cast votes.

Out of more than 1 billion votes cast in this country since 2000, only a few dozen credible instances of voter impersonation are said to have taken place. You have a better chance of being hit by lightning twice during your lifetime than living in an area where voter fraud has happened.

We need more programs to register voters. We need more programs to help voters actually vote, like early voting and free rides to the polling places. The DMV’s “motor voter” problem is easily rectified. Lopsided election results caused by wholesale voter suppression and vote theft are not easily rectified.

We put men on the moon and brought them all back alive to Earth. Fixing the DMV’s database conversion problem is not rocket science.

David Siegel, Los Angeles

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To the editor: I agree with The Times Editorial Board that the DMV should put its “motor voter” system on hold.

When I read an article about errors that had been made by the DMV that included registering a Canadian noncitizen (as an example), I was appalled. Just one example of this type of error, let alone the 23,000 inaccurate registrations that have been reported, would be all any losing candidate would need to declare “voter fraud” and make a case for an illegitimate election.

This is a no-brainer: The DMV must suspend its voter registration system now and work on fixing the errors that were made.

Terri Fox, Torrance

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