Reading the spate of letters that have appeared in the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal about overturning the recent legislation that prohibits same-day voter registration, reminds me of the old legal saw given to attorneys when they have a weak case:
When you have the facts, argue the facts; when you have the evidence, argue the evidence; when you have neither, start pounding the table.
The people seeking to overturn this sensible law by howling “disenfranchisement” have a fistful of splinters.
No one is being denied the right to vote, neither students nor the elderly.
This past legislative session, a bill passed that prohibits same-day voting registration and requires registration at least two business days prior to election day.
That gives Maine residents 247 days in which to register. No one’s right to vote is denied.
Maine has one of the most insecure and lax voting systems in the country. Forty-two other states also require registration prior to election day, including Massachusetts and New York. Why? They want to prevent fraud from politically unscrupulous operatives and errors from overwhelmed town clerks.
No states are considering weakening their current systems.
Despite denials, an investigation found at least six non-citizens who were registered to vote; 77 others were found to have registered in more than one state.
This laxity cannot continue without endangering the sanctity of the vote. If it is, actual Maine voters will be disenfranchised by the cheats or from avoidable clerical errors.
And Maine is only one of a few states that require no photo ID, while allowing same-day registration. That too needs fixing in the near future.
For elections, as well as foreign policy agreements, the approach should be the same: trust, but verify.
Vote “no” on Question 1 in November.
Gayle Finkbeiner
Belgrade
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