HB 1355 Only Makes Government Bigger

If there is one thing that Republicans do not like, it's youths who vote.

This may seem like a bold statement to some, but before you make your judgment, let me introduce you to House Bill 1355.

HB 1355, drafted by Speaker of the House Dean Cannon and introduced into committee by Rep. Dennis Baxley, is a 128-page rewrite of our state's election laws. The re-write itself specifically targets individuals and organizations who volunteer their time to register voters.

Provisions within the bill are numerous and dangerously detrimental to the democratic process. It would require anyone collecting voter registrations to register with the state.

This means that all organizations who wish to register voters, including student groups, must submit the names, addresses and dates of birth for all volunteers to the state. These organizations will then be required to obtain custom registration forms from the local supervisor of elections with the organization's name identified on the form.

This is done as a method of tracking, because if you submit an incorrect voter registration application, you and your organization will be penalized with a fine by the state of Florida. It should also be noted that the payment collected from these fines will no longer be utilized to increase voter education. In contrast, this money can go anywhere the government wants.

Those who support HB 1355 assert that it is a method of preventing voter fraud. By making the process more bureaucratic, they are hoping to eliminate fraudulent voter registrations. Yes, HB 1355 may succeed in doing so, but at what cost?

HB 1355, if passed, would make a traditionally easy process into a ridiculously technical one. In most cases, all you need to register a voter is a voter-registration form, a clipboard, pen and time. And that's what's so perfect about it — the simplicity of it all.

During the presidential elections of 2008, the College Democrats at UCF registered 10,775 voters. And that's just one organization of volunteers in one election cycle. Imagine what 2012 could bring. Imagine how many students will register to vote and then actually vote in 2012.

It baffles me that so much attention is being given to social issues and voting rules when our economy is what's in need of revision. The almost-governmental shutdown this past weekend is an example of this and I would like to think that we're smart enough to not waste our time on issues that do not need fixing.

Because honestly, what is so wrong with registering students to vote?

It's extremely ironic (and hypocritical) that a political party who preaches against big government would attempt to pass legislation that only encourages big government. If you want to hear what the people want, then maybe you should let us get registered to vote. Maybe you should encourage the electoral process, not diminish its possibilities.

With all of that said, I urge you to contact Speaker of the House Dean Cannon. His office drafted HB 1355, and if you're wondering why the House representative for the UCF campus would do such a thing, it's probably because his term limits are over.

I guess he wants to be remembered for destroying the student vote.

I want us to be remembered for winning it back.

This article's original publication can be found here: http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/hb-1355-only-makes-government-bigger-1.2537240