Archived Story
Voters should check on status
Published 9:39am Thursday, August 2, 2012Election Day may seem like a long ways off but it will be here before we know it and it is important that citizens ensure their registration status is in good standing before heading to the polls.
Lots of misinformation continues to circulate about registration requirements in Ohio and across the nation. E-mail chain letters continue to spread half-truths and misleading information.
Ultimately, the registration deadline is Oct. 9. Anyone who has voted in recent years, presuming they haven’t had a change of address or name change, are already registered.
Much of the misinformation centers on the claim that anyone who hasn’t voted in the past two federal elections will be automatically prevented from casting his or her ballot.
That simply isn’t true.
There are a number of steps that must take place before a citizen is removed from the voter rolls, so to speak. Citizens would have been contacted through the mail for confirmation before having registration revoked.
Even then, the individual could still vote provisionally.
The assertion that missing one presidential election will cause you to be removed is simply not true. But it is certainly important that citizens ensure their voting eligibility is valid well before election day. This can be done at the local board of elections office. New voters can register online at www.sos.state.oh.us.
Our nation was built on the foundation of democracy, which can only exist through an informed and engaged public.
When Democrats tried to block some military ballots in Florida during the contentious recount of 2000, it was a political and public relations disaster — until then-Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman intervened.
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I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to seeing another human soul besides the poll workers at my polling place for the first time since 2008.
When an election’s on TV, suddenly people care!
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This author is correct. However, the Obama admin. is not threatening the military vote. He is worried about HB 194 in Ohio that will limit everyone , except the military , in their ability to vote early. HB 194 and the Rep. controlled Ohio Sate Governemnt, are trying to take away the rights of citizens. Please fight this. Search for the truth and do not listen to just one source of information.
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Fifteen military groups are opposing a federal lawsuit in Ohio brought by President Barack Obama’s campaign because they say it could threaten voter protections afforded to service members.
Obama’s campaign and Democrats argue the battleground state’s law unfairly ends in-person voting for most Ohioans three days earlier than it does for military and overseas voters. They say such disparate treatment is unconstitutional, and all voters should be able to vote on those days.
Organizations including AMVETS asked a judge late Wednesday to dismiss the lawsuit. They say federal and state law recognizes military voters need extra time. They fear a court could find that service members shouldn’t be treated differently.
Most Ohioans have until Friday evening before Election Day to cast a ballot in person. Military voters have until Monday.
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Having voted in Athens, Ohio courthouse while in college, and voting while in the army, I just don’t understand why people can’t make just a little itty bitty effort to vote.
Someone overseas in the military should get extra time to vote, but local voters that don’t want to make the effort I have no sympathy for.
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