Voter participation in Illinois is low. One reason is obstacles to new voter registration. Illinois has mechanisms to prevent groundswell votes.

Minnesota has same-day registration. No kidding. If you are not registered to vote, you can go to the polls, register and vote the same day.

North Dakota has no voter registration at all. You are required to sign an affidavit that you are entitled to vote in this district. And why not? Citizens should be trusted to vote on their sworn oath that they are eligible.

There are American citizens who do not have a photo ID, with their address on it. Some have no drivers license, state issued photo ID, bill or bank statement.

To think a legal or illegal alien, would take the risk to vote in our elections is ludicrous. Voter fraud is a dead horse. It simply does not exist.

Election fraud does exist. It can take many forms.

One Ohio County locked out the media during ballot counting and recounting in 2004, with higher Bush totals after every recount. There was evidence of massive election fraud, ballot box stuffing, and uncounted votes in Ohio for the 2004 elections. There were no investigations by U.S. attorneys for election fraud in Ohio or Florida for the 2004 elections.

Computer terminal voting can result in no recounts and rigged elections. We should insist on simple paper ballots, that are kept and accounted for, and not allow even the punch cards that caused the hullabaloo in Florida in 2000. I can wait a few hours or days for fair accurate counts, or even recounts, for that matter.

States suspected of election fraud should allow independent observers to oversee the process.

Gilbert Reed

Normal