Washingtonpost.com:

The state Senate approved a bill Monday allowing Virginians age 65 and older to vote by absentee ballot without having to provide an excuse.

Currently, Virginians are allowed to vote absentee only if they cannot get to the polls on Election Day for certain reasons, such as military service or jury duty. Last week, a Senate panel killed a bill that would have allowed any registered voter to vote absentee, but it approved a measure to allow seniors to do so.

On Monday, the Senate voted 28-9 for that bill, sponsored by Sen. John Miller (D-Newport News) and Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters (R-Virginia Beach). All of those opposed were Republicans.

Why can’t anyone vote absentee?   Don’t get me wrong.  I am glad the vintage folks can vote absentee.  Usually it required bending of the truth.  But everyone should be able to without lying.  It would save the state money in the first place.  How many people would opt to vote absentee if given the choice?

I often vote early over at the voter registration office ( absentee in-person voting.)    Then I take a nice day trip out of town.   I don’t like some of my neighbors ghouling around syphoning information said aloud.  But that’s just me.

This past year I voted absentee (absentee by mail).  I just wanted to make sure I could vote and ordered up the ballot.  The absentee ballot is not for those who want to cheat.  It is detailed and takes a lot longer than voting in person, if you can walk right in.  you also have to have it witnessed.   However, after reading about the horror stories here in Prince William I am darn glad I did!  it was a piece of cake as opposed to waiting in line for 4 hours.

What are State Republicans afraid of?   All Virginians should write to their state senators (and delegates) and insist that they be allowed to vote absentee.  It is simply the fiscal responsible thing to do.

On another note, Virginia Senate Republicans also voted to reappoint Helen Dragas as UVA rector.  So far they are batting 0 in my book.

 

7 Thoughts to “State Republicans refuse to address voting issues”

  1. middleman

    More of the same from the GOP. The gerrymandering referred to in your previous item, targeted voter limiting strategies such as seen here and redoing the electoral college to negate Democratic votes- it’s all part of the overall plan the GOP has to force their unpopular agenda onto the American electorate.

    The question is-will we stand for it?

  2. I sure hope not. When I first read all that garbage last night I was having myself an Inauguration high. I felt like someone turned on the fire hydrant. Honeymoon is over I guess.

    The people of Virginia ought to be outraged. I hope the new gerrymandering goes to court–as high as it needs to.

    I think the Justice Dept. ought to come down on this state with all it’s got. over the voting situation and the gerrymandering.The oversight still hasn’t been lifted statewide. Now I see why.

  3. Ray Beverage

    I applauded this vote, as for the last several years, those of us invovled with Aging Programs & Services have advocated for our “Vintage Virginians” who were home-bound or living in a long-term care facility and still wanted to vote. Since they could not physically get to their home precinct to vote, we advocated for absentee balloting.

    In the past, several of the bills specifically stated “Nursing Home” or “Assisted Living” and the debate leading to their death by committee down in Richmond was these older adults may have to have someone physically fill out the ballot for them. Nice to see the Senate has some folks with common sense to realize if the person still is cognizant enough to know who is on the ballot, should be able to exercise their right.

  4. Censored bybvbl

    It’s good that some more Virginians will be allowed to vote early without telling a whopper if this passes. Even though Seniors may need a break from standing in long lines, other younger working adults need to be able to vote more easily as well. What’s to fear by allowing people to exercise their right to vote in the least burdensome way possible?

  5. @Ray Beverage

    I am glad to see this also since I am getting vintagely long in the tooth. However, it should also be offered to other people.

    I have heard that someone will bring a ballot out to your car to you also, but….no one has ever said how to do this. How do you get a ballot brought to you?

  6. @Censored bybvbl

    Totally agree with you, Censored. Think about all those working men and women who have to commute to northern Virginia and DC. They leave at oh dark hundred and get back around 7 when the polls are closing. Many of them don’t have jobs where they can leave early or just take the day off. Many don’t vote simply because getting to the polls is too difficult. That sort of sounds like a democrat, doesn’t it? Now I get it.

  7. The other thread is fixed.
    Somehow, the comments section got turned off.

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