Last summer, we commented several times on local voter registration and how there was a huge disparity when students were trying to sign up -- whether in Montgomery County, Radford City, or Lynchburg. Since interpretation seemed to vary by local voter registrar office and whether an area college student population was perceived to lean Right or Left, it was hoped our elected "leaders" would address the issue in Richmond during this session of the Virginia General Assembly.
Hope has been killed by partisan politics for this and several other issues touching on voter rights. Virginia citizens deserve leaders, not elected officials who try to divine which way the winds of ignorance are blowing.
The US Census is conducted every 10 years, and the next one will be completed in 2010. Based on population shifts, redistricting is expected to begin by 2011 -- two years from now -- and determining fair representation in government is its primary purpose. After the 2000 census, some serious gerrymandering occurred -- with the GOP in control -- creating inane politic boundaries disassociated with economic or geographic logic. While the GOP is no longer driving the bus, it appears there are some willing to drive all Virginians over the cliff, again, as seen in the House voting along party lines to kill a bipartisan commission to redraw congressional and legislative districts. For an example of how to gerrymander, we refer readers back to this "game" site or encourage viewing this "must read" January Powerpoint presented by the Fairfax Area League of Women Voters (sorry, the file is too large to load here). For why this is important, review the Civil Rights movement and watch the video Iron Jawed Angels.
A primary budget item in Virginia seems to be funding the incarceration of citizens. We just learned future prison needs are determined by the third-grade literacy rates in Virginia (gives enough time to build more prisons). Once convicted of a crime and serving the sentence, Virginia remains one of the very few states that continues to punish former felons -- beyond social and economic ostracism (note not all felonies are violent crimes causing physical harm to others). Legislation introduced to restore voter rights failed, quietly, yet kudos go out to Delegate Onzlee Ware (D-Roanoke) who saw the value in having this constituency participating in our society again.
Then the matter of students voting while attending an institution of higher learning was put forth, again. And killed, again. A local media story indicated Radford's voter registrar only wanted a "little clarity" on his practice of issuing pending denial statements to students who registered to vote in Radford. Gee, how many people know for certain they'll be at the same address four years from now? The only thing that was murky was in how it was being interpreted in a manner to disallow voter registration, and not seeing value in having more legalese giving the Board of Elections the power to define "domicile".
Do not be confused or confounded. While the federal stimulus package will have regional impacts and local government will continue to have the greatest affect on individuals in Christiansburg and Montgomery County, what the state legislators do -- or do not do -- has direct meaning, too.
It's time to ask why state representatives cannot work collaboratively for the commonwealth, and fritter away time and effort on non-essentials which weaken us all, wasting precious resources (chief among them time). Nothing should be more important than voter rights, and our elected officials efforts to keep citizens informed of the deeper ramifications their legislation brings forth. In the meantime, exercise your civil rights and let officials know you're still using them.