So, there it is in this morning’s paper. Right underneath Ike, the story is about a suit being brought by the Wisconsin Attorney General, who is also co-chair of the McCain campaign in Wisconsin, to require registered voters to cast provisional ballots if there is a discrepancy between their driver’s license and their voting registrations. It is not clear from the article whether he is bringing this suit in his capacity as AG or as campaign official, but as we have seen in recent elections, these hats tend to coalesce.
This may or may not affect my vote. I have no driver’s license. It could mean that my voting registration is unverifiable and therefore my vote won’t count. Or it might mean there is no possible of a discrepancy so I am guaranteed the opportunity to cast an actual ballot. I guess it’s something the court will have to determine.
This must be going on all over the country. Wherever there is an opportunity to force voters to cast provisional ballots, the Republicans will seize that opportunity. Provisional ballots are their best friend.
Wisconsin was extremely close in 2004. The polls so far indicate it will be less close in 2008, but things could change. The election could well hinge on whether provisional ballots are counted in any of a dozen states. Every one of the many thousands of provisional ballots that will be cast are subject to judicial review.
Which is why I think we should seriously consider resetting all those Last Day Countdown calendars and extend Bush’s term. For most of American history, the President was inaugurated on March 4. FDR changed that to reduce the post-election lame duck period. But I think it’s time to go back. Elections are no longer over in a day. Forevermore, the winner of a close election will be decided by the post-election litigation. And a January inauguration just doesn’t provide enough time. When there is a December 15 deadline for the Electoral College ballots to be cast, the Republicans can run out the clock — keep the legal motions rolling until there is no longer time to count the provisional ballots.
Besides, if there ever is enough hard evidence of rigged or hacked voting machines in states without paper backups to convince a court, there will be no remedy other than a revote. Which can hardly happen in the current time frame.
So that is why this on November 4, I’ll be mentally chanting, “Four More Months.”