OPINION:
“There’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud” is the response you tend to hear from liberals when you bring up the 2020 elections. But if a state doesn’t require voter ID and hasn’t purged its voter registration rolls, how would anyone know? It’s like a store reporting that it’s never sold alcohol to minors — but it’s never checked a driver’s license.
When it comes to elections, states have just two primary responsibilities: Verify would-be voters people’s eligibility to vote and maintain clean voter registrations. Texas inspected its voter rolls and removed 1.1 million out of 17.9 million registered voters due to death, felony convictions, address changes and lack of citizenship.
That means its rolls had been 6% polluted. The 2020 elections were decided by only 40,000 votes. (Oddly enough, the Justice Department is suing Virginia for purging 1,600 illegal immigrants from its voter rolls.)
The 15 states including California that don’t require ID of their voters or purge their voter rolls shouldn’t be counted. California even went so far as to make it illegal to check voter IDs. However, the Pew Research Center found that 81% of Americans support requiring a government-issued photo identification to vote. The only reason anyone would be against voter ID is that they planed on cheating.
A “decentralized electoral system” where each state has different rules is a mistake. Anyone who has spent time in the quality field knows you take the best practice and make it the standard. It’s never easy, but when it’s over, you’re glad you did it.
Poll watchers, please be diligent on Tuesday. Have that extra cup of coffee.
BEN FURLEIGH
Port Charlotte, Florida
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