Feb 7, 2014 2 min read

Thomas Jefferson said, “With our vote we can start a revolution.”

It seems with Voter ID and other laws, people around the United States are being disarmed. Various investigations have concluded voter fraud is rare and when it is detected, it is mostly through the absentee ballot process. Also there is no database to verify your ID at the polling place.

In Pennsylvania so far, voter ID is the only tool to regular the vote. Other states are using other means to end voter fraud that seem designed only to impede the voting process.

Some states are eliminating same-day registration and cutting early voting days nearly in half. Some states have also discontinued a law that allows teens under 18 to pre-register to vote as part of a civics class.

In some cases, local polling places are being combined. In North Carolina last year, a county election bureau voted to combine polling places near a local college. The location they selected had no bus stop nearby and only 20 parking places. It was estimated that 15 spaces would be needed by poll workers. The combined precinct had 9,000 voters when the law limited precincts to 1,500 voters.Only local outcry and media attention ended the plan not the law.

In Athens, Ga., a plan was put forth to reduce polling places to just two for the whole city. The precincts were to be located in police stations. The citizens of Athens, also a college town, were also able to stop this plan through public outcry.

In an editorial after the November general election, the Herald-Standard decried the lack of voter participation. We should be finding ways to encourage people to vote instead of putting up roadblocks.

In Australia, it is mandated by law to vote. You are fined if you don’t vote. Colorado is joining Washington and Oregon in an all mail voting process.

Surely we can find other ways to vote that are fair and secure. Let’s find a way to make sure that everyone can participate in the process.

Suzanne Horne

Uniontown