RESTORING THE INTEGRITY OF THE VOTE

Voter identification is an integral requirement to restore the integrity of the ballot box. The removal of doubt in the voting process will strengthen the electorates faith in the system and greatly reduce the potential for fraud, ensuring the most sacred principle of one person one vote. I present to you my argument for voter ID reform and guidelines to protect the process.

It has been stated that voter ID requirements would reduce turn out, this is a false statement. Proof of identification is required to obtain employment, as all employers are required to submit I-9 forms for proof of eligibility to work in the United States. A review of the required documents can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf .

93-year-old holds up the free voter ID she obtained.

Identification requirements are also necessary to apply for various government run entitlements such as  Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Welfare and student loan programs also require identifying documentation-- programs that are used by a majority of the poor, the very people liberals claim would be disenfranchised.

Liberals pontificate from the mountaintop that voter ID creates an undue hardship, akin to a poll tax, or that it is racism cloaked in regulation. However, they can not explain how the poor, elderly, and students have no problem producing identifying documentation to participate in social programs.The liberal argument only serves to perpetuate fraud and causes the disenfranchisement of voters that follow the rules.

A simple solution is to use the guidelines found on the federally approved I-9 form. These guidelines would be more than ample to prove a voter is who they claim to be. Implementing this change is the starting point that will return the sanctity of the voting booth to its proper place in America.

A question has been raised about the homeless, this can be remedied with ease. A homeless person can still register to vote and obtain a free state issued picture ID by signing a Declaration of Indigency. By signing the Declaration they affirm they have no proper identifying papers and have no way to obtain the documents. The ID can be made at the premise where the application is submitted 30 days prior to an election.

Additionally, States should require all potential voters to register no less than 30 days prior to any given election. The given time period will allow verification to be completed and voter rolls to be properly updated.

Absentee ballots should only be mailed to residents of a state if they are registered to vote 60 days prior to an election.

Enlisted personnel of the United States Armed Services will be guaranteed the right to vote The delivery of absentee ballots to soldiers will be completed in a timely manner and accepted if post marked no later than 15 days after an election.

A provisional ballot process will also be in place to protect the right of those people that missed the proper deadlines to cast ballots and will be counted once verification of voter ID is completed by the voter within 15 days after an election.

Electronic machines used in elections must provide a receipt to the voter showing how they voted. The receipt will contain a tracking number that can be matched to the master record and voter roll.

Online voting must only be conducted via secure servers and programs. Registration by voters in states that offer this option must be completed 60 days prior to an election. A receipt will be generated to the voter showing how their ballot was cast with a tracking number linked to the master record and voter roll.

Voter rolls should be purged of expired registrations, deceased registrants and convicted felons every 90 days and one final time 60 days prior to an election.

All polling stations should be free of campaign materials and no campaigning may occur within 300 feet of the entrance. Poll workers must not recommend preferences to voters and will be observed by members of the two major parties in any given precinct.

I believe this process, when enacted by each respective state, will strengthen the electorates faith and confidence in the voting booth and restore integrity at the ballot box.