Here’s One Vote for Checking ID at Registration

Now that the state is investigating voter rolls to make sure everyone signed up to vote is really a citizen, I have to wonder, who’s checking to make sure everyone signed up to vote really exists?

When I first registered to vote, I brought all sorts of documents to confirm my age, identity and citizenship. I was astonished to find it wasn’t necessary.

Later, I was angry. I’d gone to the trouble to dig out this stuff, but no one wanted to see it. How did they know I was really 18? How did they know I was even me? I felt that someone was somehow derelict in their duty. However, not only are those helping others register not required to ask for an ID, they are told not to. A person could register as Murphy Brown, Clark Kent or Jabba the Hut--or all three.

In subsequent years, knocking on voters’ doors for various candidates and causes, I’ve noticed a number of oddities in the voter lists. Sometimes the list shows numerous voters at an address, though only one or two people actually live there. Not only are previous residents often on the list, but sometimes those before them, and others of unknown origin.

Some people are registered twice, like the woman who related her trials in getting her maiden name struck from the rolls after re-registering under her married name. She kept receiving two copies of everything and sometimes was tempted to vote twice, just to see what would happen.

At least these are real people on the rolls. What’s really strange is finding people registered at addresses that don’t exist. While occurring occasionally in most neighborhoods, in some areas nearly every apartment or condominium complex of more than a dozen units has at least one anomalous address.

Complexes identifying units by number, i.e. Unit 101, 102, etc., will have voters registered at Units C and D; complexes utilizing letters will have voters registered at Units 18 and 23. A 30-unit, consecutively-numbered complex will have people registered at Units 55 and 97.

A friend questioned how people too stupid to know their own address could be smart enough to vote. He was concerned about the voters’ intelligence. I’m concerned about their existence.

Who would go to the trouble to fabricate registrations?

Well, there are those contemplating voter fraud. Someone can register several phony voters, then vote absentee. The signature cards would match when ballots are verified, since the same phony signature would be on both the registration card and the ballot. Why bother falsifying someone’s citizenship when you can falsify their existence altogether?

Paid voter registration solicitors could contribute to the problem. Most people who help register voters are honest, dedicated volunteers, but not all. “Bounty” solicitors are paid by political parties for each new registration to that party. A few registrations can pay for pizza, beer and movie tickets. A few more will pay utility bills.

But should we care? One obvious problem with registration of nonexistent people is voter fraud. Someone could use bogus registrations to vote.

In addition, dead weight on the voter rolls raises extra hurdles for those seeking to participate in direct democracy. To qualify an initiative or referendum for the ballot, signatures of an adequate percentage of registered voters must be obtained within a limited time. A grass-roots group could fail to qualify an initiative by the slight margin resulting from inflated voter rolls.

Listing of nonvoters also increases costs. Voter booklets must be printed and mailed to everyone listed on the voter rolls.

So, what should we do?

First, require some form of identification in order to register to vote--in person.

Next, prohibit the payment of bounties for registrations. An exception might be made for payments to nonprofit groups.

Then, return to the system whereby one needed a good reason to vote absentee. A system which routinely allows everything from registration to casting the ballot to occur by mail is an invitation to fraud. In addition, without the secrecy of the voting booth, it’s easier to buy or coerce votes.

Finally, provide the registrar of voters with the authority and resources to verify registrations and to purge voter rolls of nonvoters on a frequent basis. And don’t blame this situation on our registrar’s office. They didn’t pass Motor Voter.

The voter registration process must be reformed. Registering to vote should not be treated as less consequential than getting a driver’s license or a library card. Too many people have died protecting our right to vote for us to treat it so lightly.