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December 22, 2011

Forum: Increase access, secure elections

By Ruth Johnson ----

Critics would have you think any move to make common-sense adjustments to our elections system is a veiled attempt at destroying our democratic process. In fact, ensuring integrity in our elections system is our duty and will only serve to increase confidence -- and participation.

That's why I'm working with our legislative partners and Michigan's clerks on a Secure and Fair Elections initiative.

The SAFE proposal would:

• Increase convenience and access through no-reason absentee voting;

• Require training for third parties who register voters;

• Encourage participation through outreach efforts;

• Protect the rights of legitimate voters by ensuring that those not qualified to vote can't cast ballots;

No-reason absentee voting would allow voters to pick up an absentee ballot for any reason. All they'd have to do is follow the same requirements as if they'd gone to the polls on Election Day: Either show ID or sign a brief affidavit stating they're not in possession of a photo ID. Their ballots are counted on Election Day.

Voters already eligible to obtain an absentee ballot through the mail -- including people who are disabled or age 60 and older -- would keep that option.

The SAFE initiative also calls for voter registration organizations to register with our department, receive free training and promptly turn around registrations to the state. New voters will go to the polls with confidence that their registrations made it in on time and were filled out correctly.

In the same spirit of convenience and access, organizations could send one representative to get training from county clerks locally then train other members back in their hometowns. We're looking at ways to provide training remotely, including online.

Our goal for this training is also to fight voter registration irregularities. In 2008, for example, a single Oakland County community reported that of 3,000 voter registrations it received from a third-party voter-registration organization, fewer than 50 were valid.

As Michigan's chief elections officer, I strongly believe we must continue efforts to welcome new, legitimate voters to the process. To that end, we send 18-year-olds a postcard reminding them to register, set up voter registration drives at local colleges and universities, and allow residents who move to update their address online at www.ExpressSOS.com. Branch staff also routinely ask customers if they would like to register.

And to make sure they are able to cast their votes with confidence, we are addressing vulnerabilities in our elections system. A Pew Center on the States found Michigan had an impossible 102.5 percent of its eligible voting population registered to vote in 2008. That must be addressed.

Some people on our state's Qualified Voter Files aren't "qualified" at all -- they're dead, they've moved out of state, or they're not U.S. citizens. We've verified and removed the names of 30,000 deceased registered voters from the rolls and are confirming another 20,000.

The SAFE initiative finds a balance between expanding access for all eligible voters, creating more accountability and addressing vulnerabilities in our elections system. It deserves broad support.

About the author: Ruth Johnson is Michigan's Secretary of State.

About the forum: The forum is a periodic column of opinion written by Record-Eagle readers in their areas of interest or expertise. Submissions of 500 words or less may be made by emailing letters@record-eagle.com. Please include biographical information and a photo.

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