House Democrats introduced “comprehensive” voting rights legislation last week, which, among other things, would transform colleges into voter registration sites and allow for same-day registration.

In response to the voter identification laws that have sprung up throughout the country, Rep. John Lewis (P-GA) introduced the “Voter Empowerment Act of 2012” (VEA) on May 17...

The legislation (HR5799) seeks to broaden access to the polls and “address the unprecedented efforts to turn back the clock and erect barriers to voting,” a fact sheet says. Democrats are billing HR5799 as “comprehensive voting rights legislation.”

Section 1301 of the bill would expand the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which required state agencies such as Department of Motor Vehicle offices to provide voter registration, to every college or university that receives federal funding, treating them as “Voter Registration Agencies.”

“With a pivotal presidential election just six months away, we must do all we can to ensure free and fair elections and that everyone can vote,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said on Thursday, when the bill was introduced.

Universities must “offer and encourage voter registration to their students,” according to Hoyer’s office. Lewis called this provision, “Encouraging youth to become voters.”

The act also would allow same-day registration. “Voters are unaware that they are not registered until turned away from the polls,” said Rep. Lewis in a fact sheet about the bill.

“The Voter Empowerment Act would allow new and currently registering voters to update or correct their information on election-day,” he said...

The bill would also set up online voter registration, a “National Voter Hot Line,” and permit individuals with disabilities to use absentee registration.

The legislation comes after months of criticism from House Democrats against laws in over 30 states that require presenting a photo ID in order to vote. Some members have said voter ID laws are tantamount to a poll tax...

The bill currently has 130 co-sponsors, all Democrats, and has been referred to the on House Administration Committee.

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Editor's Note: And while we're at it, why not make it mandatory not to prove that you are eligible to vote in the first place...yeah, yeah, that's the ticket! Let's make people register for same-day voting and then make it a crime to actually prove that they are a citizen...Sounds ridiculous, no? It's just as insane as same-day college student registration. What's to keep students from voting absentee and voting same-day in the states where they are going to school? What about foreign students? There is so much wrong with this that one can surmise that only disingenuous and nefarious intentions would even conceive of something so blatantly stupid.


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