Thread

Unknown number of Texas voter registrations went unprocessed due to DPS error

106 points · 195 comments · hn_acker

agos · 1790263045 · focus · HN ↗
the entire concept of "voter registration" (and associated shenanigans) is so alien to my European brain that I fail to see any reason why the richest country in the world does things this way other than voter suppression. What am I missing?
1. the_doctah · 1790263179 · focus · HN ↗
  [dead]
  1. undersuit · 1790263323 · focus · HN ↗
    Why should non-citizens be excluded from voting? If the community they live in makes a democratic decision they should be included.
    soupbowl · 1790263814 · focus · HN ↗
    Simply because it's ripe for abuse. I would never expected to vote as a non permanent resident, any place I live.
    undersuit · 1790265836 · focus · HN ↗
    I think otherwise. Let's put it to a vote. Hope you're a citizen.
    nullsanity · 1790264174 · focus · HN ↗
    [dead]
    the_doctah · 1790265731 · focus · HN ↗
    Because of United States law.
    undersuit · 1790267439 · focus · HN ↗
    The iron-clad unchanging US law. Is it against the law for a city to let non-citizens vote on city proposals?
    the_doctah · 1790279627 · focus · HN ↗
    [dead]
    ceejayoz · 1790280006 · focus · HN ↗
    That's a dodge; they said "non-citizens", not "illegal aliens".
    ceejayoz · 1790271779 · focus · HN ↗
    Only since 1996, and even then only Federally.
    <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611" rel="nofollow">https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611
    <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_Immigration_Reform_and_Immigrant_Responsibility_Act_of_1996" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_Immigration_Reform_and...
    Maybe we can ask SCOTUS to overthrow it on the "history and tradition" test Dobbs & Bruen recently (ironically) created.
    throwawayfifo · 1790292360 · focus · HN ↗
    >Only since 1996, and even then only Federally.
    States have banned noncitizen voting for statewide elections for a century.
    "While federal law does not prohibit noncitizens from voting in state or local elections, no state has allowed noncitizens to vote in statewide elections since Arkansas became the last state to outlaw noncitizen voting in state elections in 1926."
    <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-citizen_suffrage_in_the_United_States" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-citizen_suffrage_in_the_Un...
    ceejayoz · 1790293243 · focus · HN ↗
    Yep, they can do that.
    Nothing says the 1996 law can't be undone (as it's not an amendment), and states can permit noncitizen voting outside of the Federal context if they feel like it. That's Federalism for you.
    irishcoffee · 1790265834 · focus · HN ↗
    That system is ripe for abuse. The presidential election is usually (not always) decided by a few swing-states. It sure wouldn't be hard to fly a bunch of people in for a few days, put them up in hotels and feed them, give 'em a little bit of cash, so they go vote, as one example. So now you have to prove they live in, as you said, a community.
    If you had said 'immigrants' instead of non-citizens you would have a stronger point. I don't have an issue with non-citizen immigrants voting. Part of the challenge is a.) proving someone exists and b.) proving they live in the district in which they voted. How do you solve this? Voter registration.
    Ignoring all that, voting is both a right and privilege of citizenship. This can be revoked. As an example, convicted felons cannot vote.
    The 15th Amendment says (note the word citizens):
    > The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
    The 19th Amendment then gave women the right to vote:
    > The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
    So, it is very much a law to be a citizen in order to vote.
    As an aside, what if a non-citizen of an EU country was vacationing for a month in said EU country. Should they be able to vote? Of course not.
    undersuit · 1790267317 · focus · HN ↗
    > It sure wouldn't be hard to fly a bunch of people in for a few days
    I didn't say no registration. Every US state has a residency requirement before you can register to vote. Get out of here with your disingenious hyperbolics.
    >So, it is very much a law to be a citizen in order to vote.
    Oh no I'm proposing changing the law, your quotes say nothing about limiting a non-citizen's ability to vote. I never argued about a right to vote for non-citizens. I took a very limited stance.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.