Can the internet help discourage voter suppression?
November 7, 2006 – 5:56 pmI doubt it can stop it cold, but it could have some effect.
Google for “virginia vote suppression” and you get a fistful of good evidence of bad behavior. My favorite is this answering machine message telling a voter they will be criminally prosecuted for trying to vote in VA because they’re registered in NY. (This is clearly untrue, of course. I’m still registered in PA but moved to Newark, NJ this year, and I voted in Newark today. It’s only illegal if I also vote in Philly.)
I’ll never get around to it, but somebody needs to do a rhetorical analysis of the arguments about cheating at the polls. It’s ironic that the party that spends the most time crying and legislating about cheating at the polls is actually far more guilty of nefarious electoral behavior–a claim I could demonstrate without even discussing voting technology.
By the way, if you haven’t voted yet, what are you doing reading this blog?