We’re coming up on a new election season, and in Silicon Valley there is a lot on the line for the people who live, work and vote here.
As we saw in places across the country during the last election cycle, people continue to fight the idea that the most foundational right of political equality – the right to vote – should be exercised with ease. They put up extraordinary and indefensible barriers to gain political advantage out of fear that broad exercise of voting rights will lead to more progressive policy making.
The list of what those trying to keep people from voting have tried to get away with is astounding: restricting the number of polling places, shifting and unreasonable limits on early voting, overbearing ID checks, and promotion and control of relatively insecure systems to record votes to name only a few.
Fighting back is a must, and there are some fairly easy ways to do it.
- Extending motor-voter laws and using public data to issue reminders on registration (and re-registration upon moves)
- Pre-register those turning 18 before the next election to vote, sending them easy-to-complete forms based on public data that require only review and signature
- Promoting online registration
- Using open-source voting technologies that have solid technical foundations and build trust over the long term
Even progressive California hasn’t yet implemented all of these – there has been some movement on the online registration front and innovative implementation of motor-voter laws. Much more remains to be done, especially in upgrading our voting systems to assure trustworthiness, speed in voting returns, and transparency about the most important process of our democracy.
We haven’t done enough to assure that the forces trying to impede progress are themselves frustrated – let’s get to work!
Chris Kelly is the Founder of Kelly Investments and Co-owner of the Sacramento Kings
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