Eric Holder: Time To Consider National Voting Standards

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

RYAN J. REILLY DECEMBER 12, 2012, 9:33 AM 3882

Attorney General Eric Holder said during a speech on Tuesday night at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library that it’s time to consider setting national standards for how elections should be handled.

“A recent study by the MacArthur Foundation found that nearly 90 percent of those who voted in last month’s election would support creating national voting standards,” Holder said, according to prepared remarks. “That’s why it is important for national leaders, academic experts, and members of the public to engage in a frank, thorough, and inclusive discussion about how our election systems can be made stronger and more accessible.”

But Holder stopped short of backing specific legislation, such as a bill recently proposed by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would force local election officials to provide a minimum level of election resources. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler told TPM on Tuesday that Holder was simply suggesting national standards were “worth consideration.”

Election officials across the county should “be striving to administer elections more efficiently and more fairly,” Holder said, according to the remarks.

-snip-

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/12/eric_holder_voting_standards.php?ref=fpb

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Wait . . . wait . . .

His next interview he'll say something like this -

Yes - let's go back to 1956 and get a do over.


When it comes from a progressive or a liberal with a long history of supporting Civil Rights and Liberties in this country - it's valid?

From this waste of a shot in the dark? Shaddup! Because I. Don't. Trust. You.

[snooper2]

2. Look what I found LOL

http://amirite.com/152246-when-people-put-periods-after-every-word-to-be-dramatic-you-want-to-stab-them-in#13553319737661&64402::resize_frame|0-0

When. People. Put. Periods. After. Every. Word. To. Be. Dramatic... You. Want. To. Stab. Them. In. The. Throat. amirite?


Yeah! like on mlia when someone says, like, "Best. Teacher. Ever." It drives me INSANE! nice post
+231 Reply BananasSmellBad, 2 years ago

Does that mean that by posting this, completely aware of this effect that this type of typing has on ppl, you want to get stabbed in the throat?
-11 Reply quwoosh, 2 years ago

Well.. i was making a point but if you find where i live. feel free to stab me in the throat
+121 Replypaulvrox, 2 years ago OP

Or When They Capitalise Every Single Word Except Words Where It's Actually Necessary , Such As california And i .
+33 Replyluckie_, 2 years ago

[JustAnotherGen]

13. Feel. Free. To. Stab. Me. In. The. Throat.

*innocent smile*

[genna]

5. Boxer Urges Justice Department to Help Address Long Election Lines

Senator Sends Letter Asking Attorney General Eric Holder to Help Ensure Voters Never Again Face Lines of Up to 7 Hours

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday asking the Justice Department to help ensure that all Americans can vote in federal elections without facing hours-long delays at their polling places.

Senator Boxer wrote, “As you know, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 protects against discrimination at the polls. It is my belief that long lines at the polls, no matter the reason, are tantamount to denying the fundamental right to vote.”

The letter is in response to the problems that occurred in the November election, where voters in Florida, Virginia, Ohio and other states waited in line for up to seven hours to cast ballots. Some voters were still in line in the early hours of Wednesday morning, long after the polls had closed. During his election night speech, President Obama promised that fixing the problems that led to these delays would be a top priority.

http://boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/120612.cfm

[SoapBox]

3. ...duh.

No shit, Sherlock.

We are the UNITED States of America...not 50 little fiefdoms for Pukes and Baggers to rule.

[genna]

7. The Bill is called the LINE ACT (smiling)

On Wednesday, Senator Boxer introduced legislation to deal directly with the problem of dysfunction at polling places around the country. The LINE Act (or the Lines Interfere with National Elections Act) would require the Attorney General, in consultation with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), to issue new national standards by January 1, 2014 regarding the minimum number of voting machines, election workers, and other election resources that are necessary to conduct federal elections on Election Day and during early voting periods.

The bill explicitly states that the goal of minimum standards is to prevent a waiting time of more than one hour at any polling place. Boxer’s bill also would require states where voters endured long lines to implement remedial plans to fix the problems before the next federal election.

http://boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/120612.cfm

[Coyotl]

4. Very good news.

Give credit where credit is due!

[babylonsister]

6. Rec'd! Yes, it is, it's past time, and it's not time to forget about them until

the next election.

[genna]

9. Part of the Text of the Letter Barbara Boxer sent Holder

It's just a sensible idea.

December 5, 2012

The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

On November 6th the nation came together as it does every four years to elect the next President of the United States. Unfortunately, far too many of our fellow citizens had to overcome significant obstacles to cast their ballots.

Voters in Florida, Virginia, Ohio and other states waited in line to vote for as many as seven hours. Some voters were still in line to cast votes in the early hours of Wednesday morning, hours after polls had closed. Reports of malfunctioning electronic poll books and electronic voting machines were rampant. Many polling places lacked the staff and voting resources to deal with the volume of voters, and in the worst cases, precincts had no paper ballots to give to voters when machines broke down.

The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy; but in making our citizens wait for hours in line, and forcing them to choose between casting their ballot or caring for a sick child, or earning a paycheck to feed their families, the government is infringing on their fundamental right to participate in our democracy.

[JudyM]

18. To the point, nicely done, Senator. nt

[triplepoint]

8. Hey Eric, Thought You Were Quitting Your Job?

Oh, that's right....how can you quit when you actually NEVER did much of anything for the past four years anyway? Never mind.

[LaPera]

12. What's this have to do with the much needed same criteria for Federal elections but to trash Holder?

[triplepoint]

17. You STILL here?

Thought you were hiding under your bed until the Mayan Prophecy came true. What's up with that?

[genna]

10. Decent thoughts on this from Florida blogger

http://www.beachpeanuts.com/2012/12/while-rick-scott-and-ken-detzner-take-their-time-investigating-what-went-wrong-on-election-day-others-arent-waiting-around-f.html

After claiming confusion over what caused the problems in Florida, and four weeks after the election, Scott and Detzner have set their acceptable time limit to four hours or less, and pointed fingers at everything from the media to local election officials as possible causes.

[LaPera]

11. Absolutely, about time Mr. Attorney General-Should be the same standard for ALL Federal elections...

and voting in every state!!

If states want a different standard for their state elections that up to the states -

But for Federal Elections - President, Senate & Congress these are federal elections & seats, so there should be the same exact voting criteria for Federal elections in every state!!

[heaven05]

14. and

those standards have to be voted on by rethugs and bluedogs???!!! dream on. This fascist march by the right is incremental. Nixon was the first and mittshit would have been a culmination. But 2016 will be another try for them. Hopefully we will be geared up to fight them nationally as we have recently. Snyder type politics is where it's at now for the rethugs. The march continues at the state level. And michiganians have 2014 to rectify their 2010 vote against their self-interest.

[Kingofalldems]

15. No registration.

Citizens have a right to vote period.

[LiberalFighter]

20. The bit I heard last nite from Holder was something along the line

that the voter registration follows the person. Automatic portable registration.

Cripes, the news media does a piss poor job on reporting. It was difficult to get the details.

[Cha]

16. YES!

[LiberalFighter]

19. Here are some important points that he makes

From different sources

“Attempts to restrict voting are inconsistent with our history,” Holder said, citing federal court decisions that uphold voters’ rights. “The desire to achieve an electoral advantage must never trump our democratic values.”

The U.S. should consider automatically registering eligible voters and extending voting hours to counter the November election’s long lines and administrative hurdles, Attorney General Eric Holder said.

Holder, speaking today at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, proposed expanding access for voters and overhauling a registration system he called “antiquated.”

Facilitating the voting process has been a hot topic in Washington following the close of the election. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been in the discussion for months, combating the rise of the voter identification laws that he deems as an infringing upon the constitution. While speaking at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Holder advocated for the use of a national registration system through the use of existing databases. The federally managed system would maintain polling standards in every state, and individual polling locations.

“Modern technology provides ways to address many of the problems that impede the efficient administration of elections,” Holder said during the speech. “We could not only improve the integrity of our elections, but save precious taxpayer resources.”

The other side are going to complain that there will be voter fraud with a system like this in place. It needs to be squelched early and fast.

Where a voter has a drivers license or state id it will be a simple process to register as they currently do in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Based on how it is implemented in Indiana (a Republican dominated state), the voter authorizes Voter Registration to accept their signature from their drivers license or state id without actually having to provide a physical signature. Of those states, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, and Utah all went to Romney. The other 3 went to Obama.

It does leave out those that don't have the license or id. There is a report that provides a way of registering those without them. In the report Mobile Voter Registration they identify Santa Clara County in California as becoming the first in the country to accept voter registration forms signed by hand and submitted electronically using mobile, touchscreen technology. I believe in the report that even though states don't provide this as a means it might be implemented under current federal law. If this is the case, imagine the increased ability to submit forms via the internet using tablets.

In Indiana, a voter has to provide their drivers license or state id number. With the other information such as date of birth it allows the voter to continue through the registration process if the information matches. After the process is completed the voter can print out a confirmation receipt to be used if there is a dispute at the polls.

[dflprincess]

21. He should have figured this out 4 years ago

better late than never, I guess.