NEW YORK, NEW YORK – As with so many people across the globe, today is very near and dear to Why Tuesday?’s heart. This organization was founded in the spirit of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by William B. Wachtel whose father, Harry, was a close friend and advisor Dr. King. So today, we also salute the accomplishments of Why Tuesday? Board members Andrew Young and Martin Luther King, III. (more…)

Posted in Barack Obama, Civil Rights, D.C., Election administration, Election Reform, Martin Luther King, Jr., President Obama, WT? Advisory Board | 1 Comment »

Welcome KTRH morning news listeners in Houston! Even up here in the Big Apple we say everything is bigger in Texas. Well, perhaps not the skyscrapers. And yet, when it comes to early voting that certainly is true.

Moreover, in 2004 over 2.4 million Texans or nearly 30% of voting eligible population voted early. So far in 2008, over 2 million Texans have voted early, quickly approaching 25% of the vote eligible population – and there are still 2 days of early voting left. By all accounts, Texas’ 2004 record early voting turnout will be shattered this year. Look here at Galveston County turnout numbers and Lubbock turnout, for example. (more…)

Posted in Absentee ballots, Early voting, Election 2008, Election administration, Houston, National Holiday, Texas, Weekend voting, WT? in the news | Comments Off

According to a local news outlet, Your Valley West, Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer took another leap towards making Election Day results in Arizona more transparent and accountable by installing multiple webcams inside all of the State’s vote tabulation rooms.

Arizona is one of two States that currently uses state-wide online voting registration system called EZVoter. The implementation of this system makes registering to vote much more convenient, and perhaps most important, allows interoperability between the States’ various databases rendering electronic voter rolls more accurate, more up-to-date, and more manageable by poll workers and election administrators. So, if you are living in Arizona, here is your suggested Election Day itinerary: (more…)

Posted in Arizona, Election 2008, Election administration, YouTube | Comments Off

Election Day Registration is getting more Democratic support. So far States that allow voters to register and vote on the same day have a experienced a spike in turnout. For example, New Hampshire’s Primary turnout was highest of all primaries thus far at 52.4% (up from 44.4% in 2000), and Iowa’s caucus turnout was highest of all caucuses thus far at 16.4% (up from 6.8% in 2000).

A total of eight States have Election Day Registration: New Hampshire, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana, Maine, Wyoming, and Idaho. North Carolina allows same day registration at early voting sites three days before an election but not on Election Day. States with Election Day Registration routinely have turnout at a rate of 10-12 percentage points higher than States that don’t.

While there are some reputable studies purporting that Election Day Registration is not a knight in shining armor, 22 States now have introduced pending legislation in favor of it and more are sure to follow suit. Moreover, a few members of Congress led by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) are introducing a bill (top-heavy on the Democratic side of the aisle) in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Indiana Voter ID decision. However, increasing turnout is not a red or blue issue, and when it comes to the sanctity of our elections we should be thinking red, white and blue.

Posted in Election Day registration, Election Reform | Comments Off

WASHINGTON, D.C — The Democratic Party has publicly and now privately split as to how (and when) Superdelegates should choose to wield their power, and promises to spawn even more divisiveness should the weight of nomination come down on their shoulders. Voters want to know: Will the average citizen ever be able to influence the system of private brokering of Superdelegate votes? (more…)

Posted in Convention, D.C., Election 2008, Election administration, Election Reform, Internet Registration, Internet Voting, Legislation, Opinions, Super Delegate, Superdelegate, What are super delegates?, What are superdelegates? | 1 Comment »