Apparently inspired by hordes of invisible illegal immigrants sneaking across the Missouri border to vote in our elections, Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O'Fallon, has offered legislation to stop the menace once and for all. She explains HB 1317 in her latest report to her constituents:
“The Honor System” worked in this country for a very long time, but this is 2008 and it is time for some verification. This week I presented my bill, HB1317, which will require the local election authority to verify the citizenship of those who register to vote. It always amazes me when anyone argues against legitimizing the process by making sure that the voter registrant is a citizen of the United States. We all want accurate and fair elections. Why would anyone not want to safeguard the process?
Over half of the 9/11 hijjackers were registered to vote in this country. Anyone can register to vote by simply providing a utility bill and checking a box to claim citizenship. For years, the push has been to make registration almost effortless so that one can register almost anywhere, including online. Missouri legislature passed a law that required a photo ID when voting, but our Supreme Court declared that this was a hardship on the voters and struck it down. My bill moves verification one step earlier in the process by verifying the legal status when the prospective voter applies to register. This puts no burden on the voter and only asks the county clerks to authenticate or verify the information received.
Although public hearings allow for testimony from any group or person, we often receive short notices for our public hearings. That and the driving distance often limit who can show up to testify. So, while I heard from many people who would have liked to testify for this bill, I understand the difficulty in making it to Jefferson City on short notice.
With HB 1317, the one negative comment noted that county clerks would have to work harder to verify the legal status of the voters. Our law already states that the voters must be American citizens; this is merely verification that existing law is followed. Citizens expect as much from our clerks.
Ultimately, the problem is that registering to vote is as simple as showing a utility bill to prove your residence. I like to trust people, but the government owes our citizens a higher standard than just taking someone’s word for it. The voters expect our elections to be run fair and square. Every vote that is cast by a non-citizen disenfranchises a legitimate vote. Missouri should put something in place now before it is too late get this problem under control.
I would love to see some evidence that this is actually a major problem in Missouri. It appears to be little more than another example of unneeded election year legislation.
Your reference to unneeded election year legislation should be reserved for Rep Mike Parson, of Bolivar.
ReplyDeleteIn his freshman year, Missouri Representative Mike Parson of Bolivar was bold enough to actually send a blanket form letter out to Missouri lobbyists…availing himself to meet with them. It is no wonder that, by 2007, he made your “Turner Hall of Shame” by being among the top ten of all representatives accepting money from them (a total of $4,233.66 in 2007).
As a lobbyist magnet, Representative Parson has managed to sell himself to one of the largest of all lobbies in Missouri….the Missouri Association of Realtors.
With the assistance of a very small group of home inspectors who are closely associated with him and the real estate lobbyists, he has managed to draft yet another bill that he hopes to push through the legislature this year that will help real estate agents to convince people to buy houses.
HB 2057, a bill that his friends in the Missouri Association of Realtors have promised him their support, creates an autonomous board of people selected by these lobbyists to control what home inspectors are and are not allowed to tell home buyers as they consider buying a home.
Many real estate agents have complained that home inspectors, by virtue of uncovering and reporting defects that exist in houses that they are trying to sell, have cost them thousands of dollars in commissions. Mr. Parson has drafted a bill for them that they hope will help them sell more houses…at the expense of the Missouri consumer who is NOT paying him the same money that the lobbyists are.
At a time when home owners are suffering foreclosures and other injuries from a real estate industry that is totally out of control…the answer proposed by the lobbyists, through their favorite representative in the Missouri congress, is to stifle the only objective voice in the process of selling a home.
Say no to the lobbyists. Say no to the commissioned salespeople who will be reselling these foreclosed homes for additional commissions…on top of those already earned in selling them to the original buyer.
Keep home inspectors independent of the Missouri Association of Realtors and their lobbyists in Jefferson City.
Let your congressman know that you oppose HB 2057 and want him to oppose it, too.