To the Editor and Readers,
I am writing as a result of a second attempt by mail to register my 16-year-old daughter to vote.
I threw away the first mailing, giving the sender the benefit of the doubt that it was a mistake.
The second one arrived last week from the Voter Participation Center in Virginia. The founder of that organization is a Page S. Gardner, and the former name of that group was the Womens Voice Womens Vote.
When trying to contact the number on the website, it is no longer in service. The web page states over 4 million registrations have been sent out, my question being how many non-eligible registrations have been taken as a result?
This is unbelievable in a presidential race of such consequences in our history as a nation. Anyone believing that voter ID isn't a necessary step to be taken is just fooling themselves, especially when you need an ID to purchase tobacco, alcohol and to get into the Democratic National Convention.
We all should beware, and support our legislators in PA that are fighting valliantly for Voter ID. We need to be dilligent in protecting the right to vote in this country that so many have fought and died to preserve.
Donna Robinson
Jackson Township
The Voter Participation Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that is only interested in helping eligible Americans to register to vote. In fact, since 2004 we have helped register 1.6 million Americans—enabling them to participate in our great democracy. No state election officials in Pennsylvania or elsewhere publish lists of unregistered voters, and so we work with commercial vendors to build our own lists. We go to great lengths to ensure that these lists are accurate, but no list is perfect. That’s why all our forms carefully explain in multiple locations that only eligible voters should apply. We specify who is–and is not–eligible to register to vote. The Jackson Township resident also complains that our phone number is not working. The number is active and working, and we encourage her to call us again so we can remove her from our mailing list. More than three million people in Pennsylvania are eligible but not registered to vote, according to U.S. Census data. We hope all eligible Pennsylvanians will exercise their right to vote during this important election season. Page Gardner Founder & President Voter Participation Center www.voterparticipation.org
LYNETTE CITRO New Sewickley Township, PA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuOT1bRYdK8 Even if the perceived final outcome of the Vote ID legislation is good, its timing should be opposed.