COM 0967.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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VBMCC Report - 9/19/96... ions & Recomn, ations . ittp://www.sos.state.o...bmcc.study/summary.W REPORT OF THE VOTE-BY-MAIL CITIZEN COMMISSION September 19, 1996 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Oregon citizens have a strong history of public involvement and civic participation and high voter turnouts when compared to national figures. That history and associated values were central in the VBMCC's discussion of voting by mail. Key issues for the Commission were: ¦ Does vote-by-mail increase participation in elections? ¦ Does vote-by-mail pose a threat to citizens sense of civic participation? ¦ Are the possibilities of fraud and undue influence of greater concern in vote-by-mail elections than in polling place elections? ¦ How do the costs of conducting elections differ for polling place elections and vote-by-mail elections? Increasing participation is the primary issue for some members who feel that vote-by-mail has demonstrated an ability to accomplish that. Convenience is the key to participation according to other members. Because it is convenient, they believe voting by mail has demonstrated the potential to increase future participation more than any other method of voting. These Commission members feel if vote-by-mail encourages some to vote who have not voted in the past, then it is increasing the sense of civic participation of those voters. Acknowledging the importance of civic participation to most Oregonians, other members of the Commission believe that casting votes by mail in all elections may diminish sense of civic participation over time. They believe particularly that the concept of acting in concert as voters on one Election Day is important and does more to strengthen representative democracy than voting by mail. These members suggest that either biennial elections or the quadrennial presidential election continue to be held at the polls. However, others felt if biennial or quadrennial polling place elections were maintained, there could be increased confusion caused by sporadically changing methods of voting. They also anticipated greater difficulty in recruiting, training and retaining poll workers over the several years period between polling place elections. To maintain the sense of going to the polling place, one suggestion was to offer a single place in each county where residents could go to a voting booth with their VBM ballots to vote, thereby accommodating those with the strongest feelings on that issue. While it may increase participation, most members feel vote-by-mail does not guarantee the quality of decisions made by voters will be greater than in other methods of conducting elections. Some members believe increasing the voter turnout may help build a stronger society, but that increased turnout needs also to encourage better informed voters. Some suggested that voting by mail may provide greater opportunity to study the issues and candidates for some voters. Another key issue often raised in discussion of vote-by-mail is that of fraud or undue influence. Although news media have often raised concerns about spousal influence and the potential for ballot parties, the Commission strongly believes that evidence indicates no greater incidence of fraud or undue influence in vote-by-mail than in polling place elections. Suggesting that we are in a societal transition which may soon provide other methods of voting, some members believe voting by mail is a stage in a technological revolution - a train we cannot stop. In