We Need To Have A Uniform System For Federal Elections

We have a choice. We can look at what has happened the last few days in disgust or we can use it to secure our federal electoral process. I really don’t care how states manage their local elections. They can have illegal immigrants vote in their state elections for all I care. But when it comes to federal offices, it matters to all Americans no matter where they live. Who and how California or Texas elects to Congress or the presidency affects all Americans.

I agree with Mr. Barnes. We need structural reforms and here are my suggestions:

National Voter ID Requirement

It is past the time to upgrade the Social Security card we all have to include a photo, address and legal status. This will eliminate the possibility of non-citizens voting. The new Social Security card can be used for employment verification, qualifying for government benefits. Having a uniform system for verifying the identity and eligibility of voters will prevent fraud and make it harder to carry out any shenanigans by either political party. I realize that many people on the Right have a visceral reaction to having a national ID but how is that different than having state Driver’s License or passport or any other form of government identification? Your birth, marriage and death certificates are all government issued. Ironically, many of the same people who scream about people illegally voting or working or getting government benefits oppose the very solution that would prevent all three. I just don’t understand it.

Uniform Laws Governing Federal Elections

The deadline for registering to vote should be the same nationwide. There should be no same day registration for federal elections. We should know ahead of election day the pool of voters for every precinct, district, state. There should be no election day surprises. Moreover, there should be the same rules when it comes to absentee ballots. Voters can request a ballot and drop it off in person but large scale mail-in voting should be prohibited. We should have the same number of early vote periods across the nation. We should have the same protocols when it comes to tallying the votes. No more urban areas waiting until the rest of the state is in before they release their count. It should be done out in the open where representative of all parties and the media can be present. Everyone will know the rules going into election day. There will be no need to run to the courts to enforce the rules as it happened in Pennsylvania.

Only Officials With Legal Standing Can Call Elections

The media should not be in the business of calling races. They have no legal standing. I am a fan of British politics and I would suggest that we import some of their practices. Ballots are counted out in the open. The presiding officer certifies the results on election night and announces the official results. No more biased media trying to shape the narrative as we saw on Tuesday night.