New Voters: Powerful and Mysterious? (registering people with developmental disabilities)

Burke Connection, VA ^ | October 14, 2004 | David Harrison

[Cincinatus' Wife]

FIRST-TIME VOTERS like Raput and Maples are emerging as the most mysterious and possibly the most crucial group of voters in this year’s hard-fought election. Over the summer, both campaigns mounted extensive voter registration efforts targeted primarily at young people who were either too young or too indifferent to cast a ballot in 2000. Registration drives have recruited absentee voters, immigrants who recently became citizens and, for the first time, people with developmental disabilities. That has led to record numbers of registered voters. In Fairfax County, 6,723 new voters registered in the month of September, according to the State Board of Elections, a 6.9 percent increase.

In Loudoun County, the number of new voters increased 31.8 percent. Much of that increase is due to Loudoun's explosive population growth, said Diana Price, secretary of the Loudoun County Electoral Board.

In both Fairfax and Loudoun counties, the number of voters who registered in the past four years is higher than the margin of victory in the 2000 election.

Statewide, 382,248 new voters registered between the 2000 election and Oct. 1 of this year. In 2000 Bush carried the state by 220,200 votes.

[LRS]

My (limited) understanding is, and the details of the law vary from state to state, is that if the guardian is present, then there can be no challenge. Now, how this applies to individuals in group homes, is beyond me. I have been told that the residents of a home in my location, are bussed to the poll, and someone is there to help them (individual guardians?, or, as I have heard of cases where this has happened, simply the bus drivers?, or, someone from the facillity?). In any event, some of these poor people don't know the day of the week...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Post #9: *** Down's Syndrome and mental retardation***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

That is wrong.

[12GA]

Let me answer your question with a question: What about individuals with Infantile cerebral palsy or Spina bifida? Your statement that you don't think that developmentally disabled individuals should recieve assistance to register to vote would include these individuals as well? Do you propose some sort of IQ test before allowing Americans to enter the voting booth? Or, should we ignore the rights of 4 milllion Americans because you're not comfortable with it?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'm sorry if my post has offended you somehow. It was not my intent.

[12GA]

No apology is necessary. Rights of the disabled is a topic that I am somewhat passionate about. Perhaps some of that passion came across as anger - also not my intent. I think we must agree to disagree on this topic. ;-)

[jrpascucci]

> Registration drives have recruited absentee voters,
> immigrants who recently became citizens and, for the
> first time, people with developmental disabilities.

First time? I thought that that was the Democrat's core constituency.

[edchambers]

I take care of a 16 yr old autistic boy and I have actually considered registering him absentee when he turns 18 and helping him vote.I could do it and get away with it BUT ITS JUST WRONG.

[SASsySIGster]

In my opinion, there needs to be clearly defined lines of which people with disabilities should exercise their right to vote. A 34 year old with the mental capacity of a 3 year old certainly should not be at the polls, however, someone with a physical disablilty and not a mental impairment should be assisted in whatever way possible at the booth, or given an absentee ballot to cast from home. Voting, like many other parts of being an adult is a huge responsiblity, and if someone is not capable of handling responsibility, then he or she should not be entrusted with this very important one. There is a world of difference between someone with a physical problem, and someone with a mental problem. Anyone that is close to a person with mental redardation knows that.

[Eva]

Well, it's wrong to register them as Democrats, when you read how the Democrats make fun of the retarded, as the Tennesse Congressional candidate did and the way Al Gore made fun of Downs syndrome back in 1994.