Last Thursday, the Delaware House have approved two bills that were high on our priority list for a state that is controlled by Democrats at all levels. Those bills are HB90, providing for early voting in Delaware, and HB400, providing for same day voter registration. Both bills passed with only Democratic votes, which makes sense since Republicans are undemocratic totalitarian cult members who want to make voting as hard as possible, especially for those unlikely to be voting for them. Meanwhile, as the name suggests, Democrats support as much democracy as possible, including making the right to vote available to everyone and making it as easy as possible.
House Bill 400, which passed 22-18 with one absent, would allow an individual to register to vote on election day at a polling place. A person would be required to provide identification or another document displaying his or her name and address, such as a utility bill, paycheck, bank statement or government document.
HB400 – Same Day Registration
STATUS– Senate Elections & Government Affairs 6/21/18
HISTORY– Passed House 22-18
SPONSORS– Viola, Henry, Sokola, Townsend, Baumbach, Bentz, Heffernan, J.Johnson, Kowalko, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Osienski, Paradee, Potter, K.Williams
YES– B.Short, Baumbach, Bennett, Bentz, Brady, Heffernan, J.Johnson, Jaques, K.Williams, Kowalko, Longhurst, Lynn, M.Smith, Matthews, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Osienski, Paradee, Potter, Q.Johnson, Schwartzkopf, Viola
NO– Briggs King, Carson, Collins, D.Short, Dukes, Gray, Hensley, Hudson, Keeley, Kenton, Miro, Outten, Postles, Ramone, Smyk, Spiegelman, Wilson, Yearick
ABSENT– Bolden
NOT VOTING– None
Odd choice for Heeley, ending her career siding with the authoritarian loving Republicans on a voting issue. Especially when you consider she votes yes on Early Voting.
House Bill 90, which passed 25-15, with one member absent, would let Delawareans cast ballots in elections for state, county and Wilmington offices “at least” 10 days before the actual date. The election commissioner would designate polling places open ahead of time for early voting. The measure would take effect in 2022.
HB90 – Early Voting
STATUS– Senate Elections & Government Affairs 6/21/18
HISTORY– Passed House 25-15
SPONSORS– Bentz, Henry, Hansen, Marshall, Townsend, Baumbach, Heffernan, Q.Johnson, Keeley, Kowalko, Lynn, Mitchell, B.Short, K.Williams
YES– B.Short, Baumbach, Bennett, Bentz, Bolden, Brady, Carson, Heffernan, J.Johnson, Jaques, K.Williams, Keeley, Kowalko, Longhurst, Lynn, M.Smith, Matthews, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Osienski, Paradee, Potter, Q.Johnson, Schwartzkopf, Viola
NO– Collins, D.Short, Dukes, Gray, Hensley, Hudson, Kenton, Miro, Outten, Postles, Ramone, Smyk, Spiegelman, Wilson, Yearick
ABSENT–
NOT VOTING– Briggs King
Gov. John Carney supports both bills, and is expected to sign them if they pass the Senate.
It certainly is encouraging that Democrats favor advancing measures to expand voting in Delaware via these two excellent bills allowing Delaware to play catch up with much of the rest of the country. But it is also infuriating that these same legislators are so dismally uninformed and unmotivated to protect us voters from cyber intrusions with demonstrably proven hackable DRE voting machines. Especially when the rest of awake America are moving to paper ballots. Whats up? Is the fix in? A former Vice Chair of the Deldems lobbying for one of the most dreadfully hackable and maligned machine companies? IMO, selling out Delaware voters and the Party that brung her to the table. Maybe more infuriating, all this being done quietly as a budget line item rather than engaging public discussion about the comparative merits of other voting systems like Voting at Home delivering badly needed major increases in turnouts, paper ballots scanned for backup copies and the like. This is a 22 year change event for voters and we deserve both information and a voice in our preference.