Proposal: Federally Finance Federal Elections
Pro/Con Summary
PRO:
CON:
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/21/kirsten-gillibrand-voter-empowerment-act_n_1903462.html
http://www.brennancenter.org/legislation/voter-empowerment-act-2013
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51399579#51399579
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/us/politics/waiting-times-to-vote-at-polls-draw-scrutiny.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyeCgWs94fA
- States and municipalities currently have little incentive to invest tax dollars in federal elections. As such, many spend little on them, having few polling places open, relying on unqualified volunteers to manage those polling places, and using outdated, dysfunctional technology to receive and count ballots.
- Because some states spend substantially less than others on federal elections, voters in states with weaker election procedures face substantially more obstacles to voting than voters with stronger election procedures, raising questions of electoral fairness across state lines.
- Federal elections are right now an unfunded mandate on cash-strapped states and municipalities. State and local leaders should welcome federal funding for elections, as is proposed by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in her 2012 Voter Empowerment Act.
CON:
- Letting the federal government to finance federal elections would open the door for Washington to increase the extent to which it regulates election procedures. This inevitable intervention would infringe on the right of states and municipalities to set forth their own election requirements and voting procedures.
- Elections should not be more expensive than they already are; the process Americans use to elect their leaders already works and does not need additional taxpayer dollars.
- If a city’s residents are having trouble voting, they should pressure local officials to increase local investment in elections. There’s no need for federal intervention.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/21/kirsten-gillibrand-voter-empowerment-act_n_1903462.html
http://www.brennancenter.org/legislation/voter-empowerment-act-2013
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51399579#51399579
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/us/politics/waiting-times-to-vote-at-polls-draw-scrutiny.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyeCgWs94fA