Indiana voter registration breaking records

[IndyOp]

I don't have any links or exact numbers for you, but I've volunteered in the Monroe County Voter Registration Office twice this week. Monroe alone has more than 5,000 voters to enter into the system and forms continue to arrive -- those that were mailed in and were postmarked by the Monday deadline and forms turned in to other county offices that have been sent on to Monroe.

Today while I was working the County Clerk came in and said that he hasn't seen anything like this since... and then he didn't finish his sentence. He said that other counties in Indiana are planning evening and weekend hours to enter registrations and Monroe will, too.

Combining staff and volunteers there are 6-8 people working in an office that is usually staffed with 2 full-time people.

Also - Monroe County changed its precinct numbers and some polling locations so after sending out 50,000 letters earlier this week to inform people the phone is RINGING OFF THE HOOK. Two of the 6-8 people working have to be available to take call after call after call after call.

:wow:

[ginnyinWI]

1. I read in the paper that African American voter registration

has quadrupled since the 2004 election. Looks good!

[IndyOp]

2. Wow. I have no way to judge that from what I am doing now -

just entering voter registration forms.

When I was at the local library registering people I did have a lot of African Americans register - probably about 20% of all of the registrations I did.

[ginnyinWI]

3. I have no link to it, but this is what it says, in part:

"More than four times as many African-Americans have registered to vote in North Carolina during the first few months of 2008 as during the same period four years ago...More than 45,000...compared with just over 11,000 in the first three months of 2004...White voter registration more than doubled with 106,000 new registrations compared with 47,000 four years ago."

I guess you wouldn't notice it because there are still a lot more new white registrants. But they're there! :)

[IndyOp]

4. Okay - I am going to admit it...

I have a problem with any state that can track "white voter registrations" and "black voter registrations" -- why in the world would any state ask one's ethnicity on a voter registration form?

:shrug:

[goclark]

5. I have a big problem with that as well, it should be illegal

I'm African American but I should be "one vote" until we are able to be considered equal it will always be segmented.

For example -- they always say things like "Clinton is getting the White Senior Women's vote."

Well I'm a Senior and a woman but I am counted as African American.

That is not fair ~

When I pay my taxes they don't care what race I am.

Your vote is suppose to be so sacred,so what's the deal?

I have the same problem with Red State/Blue State ~ I should still be one vote with the same importance as any other vote.