Photo by billadlerThe D.C. Council voted today to give preliminary approval to a bill that would allow District of Columbia voters to cast early ballots and to register and vote on Election Day. The Post has more on the story.
The bill, introduced by Ward 3’s Mary Cheh, still needs to be voted on a second time, but unanimous approval today means it’ll likely pass.
We’re all for making it easier for D.C. residents to vote, even if those votes don’t count toward representation in Congress. The Post’s story cites some critics concerned about an increased potential for voter fraud, and while our faith in the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics is by no means high, there really is no evidence to suggest that removing impediments to casting a ballot leads to fraud. Key to Cheh’s bill is the inclusion of provisions that will force the BOEE to implement a verifiable paper trail, a reform that is long overdue.
But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the bill is buried at the bottom of the story:
There is a provision in her legislation calling for a study on whether the city should implement “automatic registration.” That means anyone who is eligible to vote would be automatically registered, which Cheh said is common in European democracies.
A move like this would make the District the most progressive municipality in the country when it comes to voter registration. I, for one, would love to see this study go forward.
