Ron Wyden: Vote by Mail; Fairness Doctrine; Net Neutrality.

[Eric J in MN]

On "The Ed Schultz Show" Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is talking to the host.

Wyden said he's introducing legislation to promote Vote-by-Mail, which they have in Oregon. He said Senator John Kerry supports this.

Schultz asked Wyden if the new Congress will pass "The Fainess Doctrine" for broadcasting and Wyden said they will look into it. (It doesn't seen definite.)

Wyden said he will maintain his hold against the Telecommunications Bill because it doesn't protect Net Neutrality.

[msongs]

1. vote by mail, insecure? nt

[Eric J in MN]

2. Minnesota is #1 in voter participation, and I'd prefer that...

...we keep the system we have to that (We use optical-scan ballots statewide, random audits with hand-counting, and Election Day Registration.)

But Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that Oregon hasn't had problems since adopting Vote by Mail.

[bluestateguy]

3. I wonder if that's because of all of those Scandinavians in MN

Those Scandinavian countries all have very high voter turnouts. I wonder if Minnesotans have brought over that cultural tradition from the old countries.

[movonne]

4. It is really great...you get your ballot about 3wks before the election

which gives you time to go over all the props..and as far as I know I have not heard of any problems...

[Pastiche423]

8. Voter pamphlets w/info on the candidates and

measures/propositions etc, are sent about three weeks before the election. Our Paper Ballots are sent two weeks prior.

It gives you time to review everything before you vote in the comfort of your home. The ballots can be mailed in or there are drop off places, such as libraries.

Prior to moving to Oregon, I voted absentee, due to too many voting places being unaccessible.

[Selatius]

5. Did your state have 70 percent voter participation like OR did with vote-by-mail?

What was the voter participation rate in Minnesota compared to Oregon's rate? Oregon passed vote-by-mail back in 1998.

[Eric J in MN]

6. In 2006,

...Minnesota had at least 59%:
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S19894.html?cat=1

In Oregon it was at least 69%:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=993684

Therefore, Oregon had higher particpation this year.

In 2004, Minnesota had higher participation, 77 to 71.
http://elections.gmu.edu/Voter_Turnout_2004.htm

[Selatius]

7. Well, you've simply demonstrated that MN's voters have less consistent participation rates than OR.

I wouldn't be upset if nobody else switched to vote-by-mail.

At the end of the day, I'd be perfectly happy if they simply had enough voting booths available and a paper trail and a law that made election day a national holiday. I heard horror stories in many poorer neighborhoods with long lines and too few voting machines to service them all, but in other more affluent areas, there were more than enough machines. What made things worse was bad weather driving down voter participation. What angers me is that there is no national holiday. The last two points really make me angry.

[Eric J in MN]

9. Ask Congress to support HR 6200.

It would make Election Day in presidential years a national holiday.

SEC. 3. MOVING OBSERVATION OF WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY TO ELECTION DAY DURING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEARS.

Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by inserting `the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2008 and every fourth year thereafter, and' after `Washington's Birthday,'; and

(2) by inserting `in any other year' after `February'.

It would also require the presidential race to be conducted with hand-counted paper ballots.

link

[Selatius]

10. I would only suggest it be done every election year, not just presidential elections

It'll help encourage as high a turnout as possible in all elections, not just presidential ones. Hopefully, this will be put on the floor for debate when Dems take both houses in January.

[Eric J in MN]

11. Perhaps Kucinich wanted the bill to be narrow...

...and just apply to hand-counting the presidential race and just move Washington's birthday observance in presidential year to make it easier to pass.

If it does pass, the popularity of these measures may lead to an expansion.

[Straight Shooter]

12. Not insecure at all.

I live in Oregon. You receive the ballot by mail. You can mail it back, or you can drop it off at your local ballot box.

In the 2004 election, the votes for Kerry and the votes for bush were precisely in line with exit polls. Rove couldn't touch this state with his election tampering schemes.

edit to add, you have plenty of time to fill out your ballot, too, because it arrives at least a week before election day. That also gives you time to find out why you didn't get one if it doesn't arrive. I've been here 15 years and never had a problem, neither has anyone I know who lives here.

[ramblin_dave]

13. What about secret ballot for the blind?

If I recall correctly, HAVA required that the blind be able to vote a secret ballot and that was steering many counties to select touchscreens with voice prompting.

[Straight Shooter]

14. Pardon my ignorance. I don't know how that is dealt with.

Perhaps a trusted person is granted authority to fill out the ballot, or there are ballots in Braille. I would think the latter would be the better method.

Good question, ramblin_dave.

I just checked online. "Martens said many disabled voters will have to vote as they have in the past, with help from friends, family or others. For example, a blind person can get assistance in filling out his or her mail ballot but will not have the same privacy afforded other voters."

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1145582718199980.xml&coll=7

So, it isn't Braille yet. It should be their right, though.