I think that the bipartisan redistricting compact is a great idea except that it will never get off the ground. We are too polarized as a nation for that sort of sensible solution to take hold.
Donald Trump’s rise driven by a massive number of voters who have either never previously voted or not voted in a long time may change the conventional thinking on the results of expanding voter registration.
Redistriciting Reform is one of the very times that the term “Reform” is being used correctly and non-cynically. In terms of representative government its common sense. Our Nation is being ruined by gerrymandering.
Both ideas are definitely worth considering, and each has reasons to have some bipartisan support. That being said, I don’t see either having the kind of support from all factions of the GA needed to get either passed - even with some modification or clarification.
And, let’s be honest, unless either has the support of IPI, Proft and others and somehow fits into the strict guidelines of the TurnAroundAgenda, I doubt that either will ever get out of the GA, much less being signed by BVR.
- Some Guy in Chicago - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
Cassidy/Badinick, who would’ve thought we’d see an Op Ed from those two together. Good to see people talking about a common goal.
- Common Interests - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 5:13 pm:
Republicans should support automatic registration for the sake of trustworthy elections.
It probably doesn’t do much for increasing the voting population - anyone can register to vote on election-day.
Yet voter lists remain inaccurate, to varying degrees.
Legislators should choose the voter they feel more confident voting in their contest this fall: a voter whose registration emanated from the Secretary of State’s office (with significant address and “real person” requirements) - or - a voter who completed a form by hand and mailed it to an office to be entered by a temporary worker at the last second?
Automatic registration will make the voter list significantly cleaner.
For an added bonus - finding the few and elusive cheaters will probably be easier if the government databases are more closely aligned.
Illinois already has Online Voter Registration, Optional Automated Voter Registration at DMV’s, and Illinois just became the fifteenth state to become a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center, which totally assists in keeping voting rolls as clean as possible.
Automatic Registration goes too far and changes the relationship of the citizen to the government for the worse. Everyone would love to have voter turnout to be 100 % always. But such a thing is not realistic.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 3:28 pm:
I’m all for automatic voter registration, but I’m unaware of any GOP support for that flavor of electoral reform.
– mrJM
- tominchicao - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 3:34 pm:
I think that the bipartisan redistricting compact is a great idea except that it will never get off the ground. We are too polarized as a nation for that sort of sensible solution to take hold.
- Sillies - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 3:39 pm:
Donald Trump’s rise driven by a massive number of voters who have either never previously voted or not voted in a long time may change the conventional thinking on the results of expanding voter registration.
- Qui Tam - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
Redistriciting Reform is one of the very times that the term “Reform” is being used correctly and non-cynically. In terms of representative government its common sense. Our Nation is being ruined by gerrymandering.
- illini - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
Both ideas are definitely worth considering, and each has reasons to have some bipartisan support. That being said, I don’t see either having the kind of support from all factions of the GA needed to get either passed - even with some modification or clarification.
And, let’s be honest, unless either has the support of IPI, Proft and others and somehow fits into the strict guidelines of the TurnAroundAgenda, I doubt that either will ever get out of the GA, much less being signed by BVR.
- Some Guy in Chicago - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
Cassidy/Badinick, who would’ve thought we’d see an Op Ed from those two together. Good to see people talking about a common goal.
- Common Interests - Friday, Feb 26, 16 @ 5:13 pm:
Republicans should support automatic registration for the sake of trustworthy elections.
It probably doesn’t do much for increasing the voting population - anyone can register to vote on election-day.
Yet voter lists remain inaccurate, to varying degrees.
Legislators should choose the voter they feel more confident voting in their contest this fall: a voter whose registration emanated from the Secretary of State’s office (with significant address and “real person” requirements) - or - a voter who completed a form by hand and mailed it to an office to be entered by a temporary worker at the last second?
Automatic registration will make the voter list significantly cleaner.
For an added bonus - finding the few and elusive cheaters will probably be easier if the government databases are more closely aligned.
- Visitor - Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 10:00 am:
Illinois already has Online Voter Registration, Optional Automated Voter Registration at DMV’s, and Illinois just became the fifteenth state to become a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center, which totally assists in keeping voting rolls as clean as possible.
Automatic Registration goes too far and changes the relationship of the citizen to the government for the worse. Everyone would love to have voter turnout to be 100 % always. But such a thing is not realistic.