Voting

· The right to vote is fundamental to a democracy, and it has been said that the right to vote is the primary right that makes all other rights possible.  

· I believe election day should remain an important civic exercise that we all take part in. I understand there are cases where early or absentee voting is necessary, but for the vast majority of voters, I believe we should vote in-person and on the actual election day.

· In-person voting makes voter identification easiest and the most secure, and the act of actually gathering together at our local voting precincts is a valuable civic ritual. It builds a sense of community and makes for easier vote counting. Also, voting on a designated election day, not before, is valuable. All voters should vote with equal information regarding their choices. If some action, statement or scandal occurs just prior to election day, and a large percentage of the electorate has already submitted their votes, it creates an uneven and unfair disconnect in voting information between early voters and election-day voters.

· There is nothing unfair or racist about requiring identification of voters. While misrepresentation may be rare, any openings for fraud may eventually attract enough bad actors to affect close elections. Most states already require photo identification to either vote or to register to vote, and many other democratic nations require national voting identification cards. ID is a common practice.

· I support bipartisan efforts to help potential voters obtain needed identification and believe that no-cost identification cards must be provided by states to those who do not have or will not pursue drivers’ licenses. 

· I oppose the practice of ballot harvesting. Such practices break the chain of control of ballots between the voter and their local election officials and present an opportunity for fraud. I also oppose unmonitored ballot drop boxes for similar security concerns.