Update 6/16/11: I have received a response from Rep. Parker. It is now included in this post below the original letter.
Dear Representative Parker,
We have met briefly a few times before, but I’ll reintroduce myself just in case. My name is Brandon Cooper, and I grew up in a part of Lewisville that currently lies in House District 63. While I was in school for my undergraduate degree at the University of North Texas, I came to you with some concerns regarding tuition deregulation in Texas. Though we approached the subject from different perspectives, you and your staff were gracious enough to ask me to come to Austin to talk about the issue to the House Committee on Higher Education. A couple of years later, when I was applying for graduate school, your office was nice enough to provide a letter of recommendation for me. I greatly appreciate your support as well as your staff’s in these ventures.
I write to you today not to pick on any partisan issue, but rather to discuss the subject of voter registration. Of course, I have been a registered voter since I became eligible at age 18. Since then, however, my address has changed a few times and I have had to re-register, as is the case in most states. The process in Texas is, to say the least, awkward.
To get to my major concern: there is no online voter registration in Texas.
While there is an “Informal Online Voter Registration Application”, this service is hardly helpful. If anything, it adds more steps to the process. It asks for the same information required on the paper form, but then produces only a PDF file. The potential voter must then print out the form, mail it themselves to the county registrar (the state does not even pay for postage, as they do for paper applications), and wait for their paper registration card in the mail after 30 days.
Forgive me if I use a trite phrase, but this seems to be one of the very few “common sense” issues that we can deal with in a nonpartisan manner. In addition to traditional registration methods, we need to modify our current system to include online voter registration. This could be done through a statewide system that then relays the information to the appropriate county.
The first concern any person would have about this change would regard voter fraud, and I can certainly understand this. An online application, however, would be no less secure than a paper one. The same information would be required of either and the same verification process would be used to verify the registrant’s legality to vote. Since counties use electronic records anyway, there is no increased risk of database infiltration. If anything, this process will reduce the amount of time required to transcribe information, which allows more time for administrators to find instances of possible voter fraud.
The second qualm the average Texan might have with this process is with the possible costs involved. I understand that the Legislature has had to make some difficult decisions during this recent session regarding the budget. That said, I believe this will save taxpayers money in the long run. While there may be costs associated with implementing a new system and training employees how to use it, this will reduce the work hours required at the county level to register voters. Under the current system, county registrars must interpret the information written on the forms and enter them into an electronic database. Under this new system, registrars would be sent electronic information from the state’s registration website that would be properly formatted for the correct software.
The current system requires voter registration applications to be sent in a full 30 days before the registrant’s application becomes valid. In light of the fact that the online process will eliminate the transit time of the application, require less transcribing work from the registrar, and make the information easier to verify, Texas can reduce that arbitrary time period for online applicants by at least half, if not more.
This is clearly not a partisan issue. Currently, both “red” and “blue” states allow online voter registration, including Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Utah, Oregon, Louisana and Washington. On June 2nd, the California State Senate passed a law permitting online voter registration and automatic voter verification.
It makes sense to make it easier for eligible voters in Texas to register. We must use whatever technological means we have to increase valid participation in our democracy and increase the efficiency of our governmental agencies. I realize that it is probably too late to submit legislation during this special session, but I strongly encourage you to submit legislation during the next session to change our current Election Code to permit online voter registration.
If you have any questions about this issue, please do not hesitate to contact me via any means. I have no doubt that we can create this small but important change in the structure of our state government. -Brandon Cooper runfellow@gmail.com
A few points on the reply: Firstly, Rep. Parker deserves a good amount of respect for replying to this, a rather long letter regarding a fairly “boring” subject. Though he and I may not see eye to eye on many things, it's pretty clear that unlike some officeholders, he will take the time to reply to a constituent’s concerns as he has done before.
Secondly, I actually wasn’t expecting a reply until the end of the special session, so even more props to him for providing a timely response. I sent this on 6/5/11 (Sunday) and I received a reply that was postmarked 6/14/11. Consider this: regular sessions of the Texas Legislature happen only once every two years, and he’s in the middle of a special session, which is even rarer (and more tedious and time consuming). Do you reply to all of your e-mail in a timely manner during the busiest time of the year? Of course, there’s some irony in the fact that he replied via snail mail to a letter sent via e-mail regarding the convenience of online communication, but hey I’ll take what I can get.
Yes, this is a “political” reply, but frankly I’m fine with that. The bottom line is that the idea is implanted and the first step has been taken. I’ll be able to bring it up to him in the next two years to see if I can make some progress on the issue. Though I’m sure much of what he writes is pre-written (and who can blame him?) I feel as though I received a legitimate and thoughtful response. I can feel somewhat confident based on past experiences that he’s not just blowing smoke.
The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Poster
Thread
Anonymous
Posted: 2011/6/6 13:28 Updated: 2011/6/6 13:42
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
I know that it may be difficult for you to understand because your age group is so connected but not all eligible voters are computer savvy nor do they have connectivity. I'm sure that you will say that they can go to the library to use the free computers/internet there but that makes it as or more inconvenient to register online than to register via paper. I would be concerned that registering online would disenfranchise the poor and the elderly as much as having to show an ID when you vote will do the same. To me, this is not an immediate need and, when we are laying off or re-assigning teachers and my kids could now have 40 - 50 kids in their classrooms because of the budget cuts, I personally can't get behind spending money that could save us dollars down the road. Education would need to be funded as the state had previously promised before I would get behind any new spending. The state is in a much worse budget predicament than Perry led everyone to believe when he ran for governor this last time. That is what needs to be handled first and foremost with things that can be done now [rainy day fund anyone?] than something that could possibly save money down the road.
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
Quote:
In addition to traditional registration methods, we need to modify our current system to include online voter registration.
In other words, traditional paper registration would still be allowed.
I also stated: Quote:
I strongly encourage you to submit legislation during the next session to change our current Election Code
I'm certainly in favor of fully funding education and I'm strongly opposed to the $4 billion in cuts. I would also be in favor of doing this first, rather than cramming it at the end like the Senate did during this session. But the Texas Legislature votes on hundreds of bills every year and I think anyone would agree that there are far sillier bills than this passed each session. -BC
Poster
Thread
Anonymous
Posted: 2011/6/6 15:57 Updated: 2011/6/6 16:44
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
1) I didn't suggest that this was silly nor do I disagree that other bills are less deserving of time.
2) The next legislative session will still involve school financing. I think that there are more important things than developing a computerized system for voters registration. However, when you see the legislature talk about "sanctuary cities" at the request of our idiot governor, who knows what they will cover!
3) I don't think that more voters registered will equate to more people voting. I think Steve had a statistic of what percentage of registered voters vote in Lewisville. It definitely supports that fact that registered doesn't mean motivated to vote. There have to be other motivators. You saw in the school board election last year that disapproval with the job being done by the school board and communication of those problems turns out the voters. If people don't turn out to vote in elections, I think it is either because they aren't aware that there is a problem with the current elected officials OR they are pretty happy with the way things are running [or at least not disappointed enough to make them turn out to vote even though there is absentee voting, early voting and voting on election day].
Before you send off a response to this, please know that I think you are entitled to your opinion as am I. I applaud you, at such a young age, in being active in politics and willing to write your congressman. Many people of all ages won't take the time to do that.
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
I’m aware that school financing is an issue every session; however, you’ve created a false dichotomy. My point was that would can do both school financing and online voter registration. There’s no reason to assume that one would negatively affect the other simply because both would be budget items. It’s not as if this would be an issue that would hold everything up, either, considering the popularity of the concept.
Tell you what, check out this report by the Pew Center on the States regarding online voter registration published in 2010. The Pew Foundation is about as reliable as it gets as far as information goes. Here are a few findings: Quote:
Despite being much younger, people who registered to vote online turned out to vote at higher rates in 2008 than those who registered in traditional methods. This is remarkable because younger voters continued to witness lower rates of voting as a whole in 2008 than older voters.[page 2, 5 of the pdf]
So from what we know so far, online voter registration does increase turnout.
Quote:
[In Arizona] the start‐up costs for EZ Voter [online voter registration] were just under $100,000, and the continuing costs are about $125,000 per year.[page 92, 95 of the pdf]
[in Maricopa County,] a paper registration costs at least $.83 of staff time to process; whereas an EZ Voter [online] registration takes an average of $.03 to process; therefore every registration that comes in online saves the county $.80.
In 2008, Maricopa received 462,904 EZ Voter registrations, which meant a savings of about $370,323 for the county. Also, Maricopa was able to hire four less temporary workers than planned, and saved $35,200. [page 93, 96 of the pdf]
That cost figure is for the whole state, but the savings is just in one county. So not only does this process pay for itself (and quickly) but it actually results in a huge boon to counties.
The list of positive effects goes on and on in the report. It is very well researched, and you’ll see that if anything, I was very conservative in my analysis of the possible benefits.
The bottom line: online voter registration saves taxpayer money, increases voter registration, and increases voter turnout, among many other positives. We can hypothesize about possible negatives all day long, but the data support all of the claims I’ve made so far. -BC
Poster
Thread
Anonymous
Posted: 2011/6/6 20:48 Updated: 2011/6/6 21:39
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
Brandon, you would do better to be less condescending in your posts and responses. As I said, I am entitled to my own opinion and you are entitled to yours. I don't answer you rudely and I don't expect to be answered rudely. I'm not going to debate you because you don't really want a debate, you just want to win at all costs. Thus is the curse of youth.
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
Of course everyone on this blog is entitled to an opinion, and it seems to me that Brandon has backed his with quite a few valid facts. I fail to see how pointing these out is condescending or rude in any way. In fact, reading his well-researched comments has been an eye-opener to this old woman. It seems as if you’re just upset that youth hasn’t deferred to age, but in this case it doesn’t seem warranted. Perhaps it’s the curse of old age that we don’t want to accept that anyone younger than we are could possibly know as much as more than we do about a given topic.
Poster
Thread
Anonymous
Posted: 2011/6/7 6:59 Updated: 2011/6/7 9:31
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
Totally off the mark, koco.
Poster
Thread
Anonymous
Posted: 2011/6/7 8:41 Updated: 2011/6/7 9:33
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
A glance across the pond and how voter registration is handled there. Germany mails out the voter registration cards to everyone who turns 18 years and has a significant higher participation in elections. See:
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
Making it difficult to register to vote benefits the Republican party. Therefore, registering to vote will not become an easier process anytime in the near future.
I will freely admit I don't totally understand the implications of SB100 yet, but my understanding as of now is that this bill will make it very difficult for cities to continue having elections in May. The reason is that the primary runoffs will be moved to May. The bill contains provisions for cities to either move their elections to November, or to switch to two-year terms for elected members.
I think both options suck.
Moving Council elections to November will ensure they get lost under tons of partisan silly-season garbage. It will ensure that only demagogues who can out-shout not only each other but the cacophony of bullshit being spewed in November can get elected.
Switching to two-year terms means that the majority of a Council can switch each and every year, and that members will be always running for reelection instead of focused on what's best. It means outside groups and business interests will have greater motivation to pour in money and take over Councils when it suits them.
If anything, I think primary elections ought to take a back seat to the locals.
I don't know... I've gotta think about this more. Maybe someone else out there has some intelligent commentary, but I just don't see this as being good.
Re: A Letter to Rep. Tan Parker Regarding Online Voter Re...
