"The problem here is a totalitarian uniformity, a cult-like mentality such that even allies are enemies if they fail to follow the Exact Party Line. " - Phyllis Chesler

Monday, September 8, 2008

Student Voter Registration

I am Reading in the New York Times today about the issues surrounding college student voter's registration rights.

Apparently many college students are being recruited to register to vote based on their dorm address. In fairness The Times mentions that this has been done for many previous elections.

I'm wondering if this should have been allowed and should continue to be allowed. It seems to be that common sense is being thrown to the wolves in favor of lots of acceptions for too many individuals.

When I first went to college, I too as in this story, went to school in Virginia. It never crossed my mind to register to vote there. When we were in our Senior year of highschool, someone from the town came to our classroom and signed us up to vote and gave us the forms for when we would turn 18 for those like myself, a June baby, so I had to wait until school was almost over.

Since my primary residence would be NJ that is where I was registered to vote. It only seems like common sense to me. My parents claimed me as their dependent and they were living in NJ. How could I claim to live somewhere else permenently and tell the government I am my parents dependents? It just doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

What it sounds like to me is gerrymandering as well as representation without taxation.

Never shying away from a controversial topic I leave this now to you all to comment.
(Yes, apparently I can get to blogger but not emails. The other person sharing this job with me seems to use it so I am chancing it here at this job this week:-)

4 comments:

Aleta said...

I've often said that people shouldn't get married right out of college. The world and life changes too much. You need to find where and how you are comfortable before making that commitment.... I believe the same goes for politics. Typically people will follow the family politics, but when they get on their own, the views can change.

It's just as bad as the credit card companies going after college students and sucking the into the plastic pitfall!

Jessica said...

I think the state where you are a primary resident should be where have to vote. To much confusion otherwise.

A New Yorker said...

Aleta, I think you are onto something with the comparison to the credit card companies.

Jess, :-)

Chat Blanc said...

I hadn't considered this before. I went to school in the same state as my permanent address. I registered to vote in the town and county where the college was located not in my hometown. But I supposed where I voted did have an impact on those local governments. hmmmmm. . . interesting!