Voting Day

A local radio program noted that Election Day itself is losing its identity with the advent and high participation of early voting.

That is exactly why I reserve my exercise of the vote for that special day alone.

The louder the drumbeat of high early voting turnout the more those early voting dates make just another path to more voting restriction. If voting goes so well over so many days, then why keep a special day for such?

Those who would restrict access to polls would grasp at those mizzen straws of evidence, light them with their fat cigars, and call for a barn-burning elimination of any special election day. Instead of an election day, they would be happy with nothing more than a period of time for public comment.

Early voting does expand voter access, but a broader, fairer vision would keep the Big Day, would make it a holiday or Sunday.

We could offer incentives to vote by creating a tax credit, even a cash rebate, for participants.

During these days when dark, untraceable, shadowy shell corporations provide most campaign funding, only bright and shiny, openly public means should support the individual’s exercise of the vote.

Jim Baird

Comer