Kaine: Make voting easier
Clement Britt / Times-Dispatch
Governor Tim Kaine is proposing changes to Virginia’s election law to make absentee voting easier.
-- Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed legislation yesterday to allow no-excuse, in-person absentee balloting in Virginia -- a step he said that effectively would allow early voting in the state.
Kaine described the measure as "a good-government bill" with "a fraud-free environment."
Current law offers prospective voters 17 reasons for casting an absentee ballot, whether in person or by mail, over a 45-day period ahead of an election.
About 500,000 Virginians cast absentee ballots ahead of the Nov. 4 election -- 321,743 of them in person. On Nov. 1, the last day to vote absentee in person, some people stood in line for six hours at Richmond's City Hall.
The absentee ballots were among 3.7 million votes cast in Virginia in the presidential election.
"By allowing all voters to cast an absentee ballot in person, we can remove some of the practical barriers that prevent people from participating in the democratic process," Kaine said during a news conference at the state Capitol.
Twenty-six other states allow voters some period in which to cast a vote in advance without stating a reason, according to Kaine's office.
In Virginia, the no-excuse proposal has been introduced previously and killed by a House of Delegates subcommittee controlled by Republicans.
"Voting is easy," said Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, R-Prince William, noting current law allows Virginians many excuses to cast absentee ballots. He said he is concerned that the no-excuse feature might lead to fraud.
"Voting is a responsibility, it should not be like shopping the Internet," Frederick said, emphasizing that he was speaking for himself and not on behalf of the Republican Party of Virginia, of which he is chairman.
Del. Mark L. Cole, R-Spotsylvania, chairman of the House committee that handles voting issues, said registrars last year complained they would have to add staff and increase their costs if the measure passed.
Under the Kaine proposal, voters would continue to have a 45-day period to vote early and would cast ballots at their registrar's office.
Kaine said momentum from the presidential election, which spurred a record turnout and record number of absentee votes in Virginia, plus the fact that House of Delegates Republicans have decided to allow recorded votes in subcommittees, improves the bill's chances in the General Assembly session that begins Wednesday.
A subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections Committee killed the measure without a recorded vote last year, after it passed the Senate 31-9.
The League of Women Voters, the Virginia Electoral Board Association, and the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia back the measure.
Kaine said the proposal could save money, because election officials wouldn't have to buy new voting equipment to accommodate heavy voting on Election Day and won't have to hire as much staff to work at the polls.
Dels. Rosalyn R. Dance, D-Petersburg, and Robert H. Brink, D-Arlington, will sponsor the measure in the House. Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, is the Senate sponsor.
Kaine dismissed criticism that early voting might lock a voter into an unfortunate choice because of late-breaking news detrimental to the candidate.
"Voters who go to vote early only go when they've made up their mind. If they're still trying to decide, they don't," he said.
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or
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Reader Reactions
Drhoagie
There’s that partisan name-calling, again, that passes for “free speech” in Virginia. How old are you? My guess is that you have been out of grammar school for a long time. Try to act your age.
The idea of extending poll hours is great. It again meets the needs of the American people and allows more people to participate in the democratic process of elections. The added advantage to this option is that election results would not be available in time for the media to call the election before voting has concluded, spread propaganda to influence those who haven’t yet voted and generally artificially influence the way voters think, and thus the election outcome.
I like the idea of a national holiday for election day. It’s simple, to the point and satisfies everyone’s needs. Great idea.
The way democrats continue to screw with the electoral process it is a small wonder they are the leading enemy of second amendment rights.
This is pretty transparent. When a partisan, yes-man, Democrat like Tim Kaine wants to fiddle with the rules governing elections, he isn’t doing it because he’s a nice guy. He’s doing it because he and his crew have figured out how to gain maximum political advantage from such rule changes.
“Make it easier to vote” is double speak for let anybody, whether they’re qualified or not, vote. It certainly makes it easier for the DNC to send their volunteers out to the grave yards for the purposes of increasing voter registration. Considering Tim Kaine’s political interest on this issue, the immediate answer should be a resounding NO.
JackCrowX wants to vote early because he doesn’t like to stand in the rain a little, and Republicans are concerned with “ME FIRST?“
Ya, I did walk to school through the snow; just like a stood outside in the rain most of Tuesday night fighting a house fire, as a volunteer, and yes, I enjoyed both. But I’m not quite 60.
The Chicago Style DNC fears another Oklahoma. A state that has over 300,000 MORE registered Democrats than Republicans. Oklahoma has no early voting, registration must be done 25 days prior to the election. An ID is required to vote. A Voter card is required to vote and no replacement card can be replaced 24 prior to any election.
Oklahoma has little incidences of voter fraud.
With the disparity of Democrat registered voters to Republicans, John McCain still won over 65% of their vote, sweeping all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.
And Oklahoma has old people.
You people are well and truly ridiculous. My bet is your avg age is close to 60. I voted. I didn’t like standing in line in the rain to do it. I think early voting makes sense. It fits my schedule better and is more convenient. What? I’m somehow a lesser person because I want something to be made easier, more convenient, and more accessible to all voters? What about the old folks who have trouble making it to the polls? Sure they could find a ride, bother someone to taxi them, help them to the polls, etc. But why? When it can be made that much easier by such a simple measure. Ah, Republicans, the party of hate, hardship, and “ME FIRST!“
I bet you guys walked 10 miles in the snow to school. Uphill, both ways. AND YOU LIKED IT!
Obedient Tim is working for the Chicago Style DNC, not the People of the Commonwealth.
The DNC seeks to turn Virginia into a Chicago, Philadelphia or New Jersey but the people of the Commonwealth do not have the same “values”.
Especially those of us who escaped from one of those Democrat corrupt cesspools seeking a better people.
The DNC yearns to dirty our land and Obedient Tim is just the man to carry out their mission.
This undermines the electoral process in that it prevents people from changing their vote if they change their mind before election day.
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