Are Americans souring on voting restrictions?

[Gothmog]

This polling shows that the American voters are waking up to the fact that voter id laws and GOP attempts to restrict voting are not due to concerns about fraud but are due to the GOP's desire to steal elections http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/are-americans-souring-voting-restrictions

As Republicans have pushed for voter ID in states across the country, they’ve been emboldened by polls showing such laws are popular with voters. But new research—conducted partly in Ohio, still the most pivotal presidential swing state—suggests that when it comes to making voting harder, the tide of public opinion may be turning.

There isn’t enough data to draw firm conclusions. But a genuine shift would be a major boon to the movement to protect voting rights, and it would significantly complicate efforts to enact new restrictions.

A Des Moines Register poll released Monday found that 71% of Iowa voters—including two out of three Republicans—think it’s more important that every eligible registered voter has the chance to vote than that no ineligible voter is allowed to cast a ballot. Just 25% said the reverse.

And focus groups involving swing voters in Columbus, Ohio found strong support for making voting easier:

Twenty-two of 26 participants said people should be able to register and vote on the same day, and the same number expressed support for expanding early voting. Twenty said they’d back providing a mail-in ballot to every registered voter. Twenty also said that every American citizen should be automatically registered to vote on their 18th birthday. Meanwhile, not a single participant wanted to eliminate early voting.

“It’s sinful that even one person is denied the right to vote,” one Columbus man said. “It’s much more appealing to ensure that everyone can vote than to focus on the very few instances of fraud.”

There was also evidence that support for voting rights could boost candidates for office. Eighteen of the 26 Ohioans in the focus group said they’d back a candidate who opposes voter ID, wants to expand early voting, and supports same-day registration. Just eight of the 26 said they’d back a candidate with the opposite stances on those issues.

We need to continue making noise about GOP attempts to steal elections. The American public is slowly beginning to realize that the GOP is not concerned about voter fraud but that these laws are designed to steal elections.

Back when the Texas voter id law was passed, there was polling that showed a high level of support. It appears that these numbers can be driven down by hard work and getting the word out.

[al_liberal]

1. Poll results are determined by the poller.

A majority of Americans might be against voting restrictions but all elections are local.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. hope so

[madville]

3. One day

In the future they'll just scan our implanted RFID chips for voting, problem solved!