Apparently, Assembly Member Crescent Hardy (R-Afraid of Democracy) thinks it's just "too convenient" to vote. Has he been taking Jon Ralston's pleas against early voting way too seriously?
(I would quote the article, but it's from "the newspaper" that need not be named... Sorry, but I don't want Righthaven suing me!)
If passed, AB 311 would eliminate early voting. That means we would all be forced to vote on Election Day... That is, if we can manage to get time off from work/school/travel/life to do it! It would make voting far more cumbersome and exclusionary, making voting a privilege for the fortunate few instead of a right all of us can exercise.
Hundreds of thousands of Nevada seniors, students, disabled people, casino workers, and plenty more regularly use early voting to let their voices be heard. Without it, it would be close to impossible to vote. It's disgusting whenever those in power try to make us powerless in silencing our voices by preventing us from voting, and that's all this chicanery is all about! Remember this whenever Crescent Hardy or Mark Sherwood (R-Sigh, My Assembly Member!) waxes poetic about the "tradition" of election day voting. Remember that this "tradition" means excluding most Nevadans from participating in what's supposed to be a participatory representative democracy.
If anything, we need to find more ways to encourage more Nevadans to perform their civic duty and vote, NOT discourage them by making voting so difficult. Early voting is a great way to get more Nevadans to participate, and it saves money by reducing the need for more county poll workers and voting machines on Election Day! The only reason these Republicans (and Harvey Munford, for gawd knows what reason!) are doing this is because they're being sore losers over Harry Reid winning last November. Let your legislators know AB 311 is a waste of everyone's time and money.
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