While working as a clerk in a Texas election, a voter came to
us with a complaint. The man asked why you cannot just, “Vote anywhere”. I have taken this proposal into consideration
and have explored his proposal until I am in a position to articulate my
feelings on the issue.
Texas election code would be much improved and much more fair,
if you could vote at a location other than your precinct voting location alone.
The man I am referring to, proposed that voting locations be “anywhere”
and said “That’s what they do in Mexico.” While I have not been able to find
information about Mexico’s policy here online, I disagree with the man about
this proposal but still have an alternate proposal which may appease some of
what he desired.
Elections cannot be held “anywhere”, elections are very,
very important and everything that can be done should be done to eliminate voter
fraud. In Texas and I believe in most states, we have the “JBC” a machine that
stores votes and makes digital voter fraud impossible.
Here is my appeasement to the man’s proposal. Although it is
too dangerous to “privatize” voting, we can make it more accessible. Right now
in Texas, unless you are early voting, you only vote at one location in your precinct,
you are not allowed to vote in any location other than the one single voting location
in your district.
I propose that you be allowed to vote in any voting location,
whether it is the one chosen for your precinct, or is the location chosen for another
precinct. On your voter registration card, in Texas, it is filled with information, including the precinct
you live in. If you go to the voting location in another precinct, the clerk
can read your precinct number, therefore determine which district you are in and
who your representatives are. As long as we provide this information at the voting place, the clerk can determine what precinct they live
in. As long as this information is provided, they should be able to vote in other precinct locations as well.
I have heard a story of one man who arrived at the wrong
voting location at the final minutes of the election and wasn’t able to vote because
he could not get to the correct location in time.
Voting laws in Texas would be much improved if we are given the
ability to vote in voting locations outside our distinct precinct. However, I do not
support privatizing the system so you can “vote anywhere” as the individual
voter proposed to me on election day.
