Sen. Bartle's self-serving explanation for the early voting standoff
At a recent Senate committee hearing, Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee's Summit) made plain that early voting or no-excuse absentee voting would not receive GOP support unless Democrats dropped their opposition to Photo ID legislation:
The only way one is going through is with the other. The Republicans have figured out early voting is not good for them, and the Democrats have figured out that voter ID is not good for them.
On one hand, it's nice to hear Bartle acknowledge the Republicans' goals in constructing new barriers to voting for individuals without photo identification (who just happen to be minorities, seniors , women, persons with disabilities and nuns who are less likely to support GOP candidates). I assume that with Bartle's admission, we can stop the whole "combating fraud" charade.
On the other hand, the facts just don't seem to back up Bartle's assertion that early voting is "not good" for Republicans.
It's certainly understandable why Bartle wants people to think that both parties are acting with equally cynical motives. But I think it's possible -- just possible -- that there are genuine good government arguments for early voting that have nothing to do with skewing electoral outcomes:
- Early voting may not increase turnout after all. According to UMKC Professor Dr. Martha Kropf, "Early voting mobilizes very few people who would not have voted otherwise."
- Matt Blunt supported early voting. What else do you need to know about the alleged nefarious scheme to elect Democrats by making voting more accessible?
- Republicans in the state legislature used to support early voting, but were concerned about the cost. Cost is still an issue, but that's not the argument Bartle is making.
- More than 30 states have some form of early voting, including Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, Arkansas, Georgia, Utah, Oklahoma.... not exactly a list that comes to mind when thinking of rampant Democratic Party excess.
Where is Bartle's evidence that "early voting is not good" for Republicans? As far as I can tell, he has none.
