2008 Woodie Awards
There's No Laughing in the State House
Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: Perspectives
Instead of a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day, I got my love from the universe by starting my new, sweet-ass job as Portland Community Organizer for The League of Young Voters. But before I was hired I was asked to join the League at the statehouse for a joint committee hearing on a bill called LD 203.
The League organized the day so that college students from all over the state could testify in opposition to the bill. LD 203 directly affects those of us living in USM dorms as well as anyone living in dorms throughout the state by taking away our Maine voting rights. Supporters claim the bill doesn't change anything, it simply highlights an existing law. What do you think? Highlight or contradiction?
The original law:
This subsection may not be construed to prevent a student at any institution of learning from qualifying as a voter in the municipality where the student resides while attending that institution.
And it's "highlighted" by:
A student is not a resident of a municipality where the student resides if the student lives in housing owned by an institution of learning while attending the institution unless the student lived in that municipality prior to attending the institution.
To me that's a complete contradiction.
Supporters accused unnamed students of voting twice and committing other measures of voter fraud but failed to provide any evidence of these federal offenses. Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, who opposes the bill, said, "We have not witnessed the type of problems this bill looks to solve."
The bill disenfranchises the student vote by way of discrimination. The bill is unjust and illegal.
On the day of the hearing students from all across the state arrived in the capital before the commencement. LD 203 was scheduled to be heard last and the college students anxiously waited in the hallway. We were shaking the hands of legislators when I overheard a Republican representative from the joint committee tell a Bates student, "You, sir, look like a Democrat." The student asked, "What does a Democrat look like, sir?"
The League organized the day so that college students from all over the state could testify in opposition to the bill. LD 203 directly affects those of us living in USM dorms as well as anyone living in dorms throughout the state by taking away our Maine voting rights. Supporters claim the bill doesn't change anything, it simply highlights an existing law. What do you think? Highlight or contradiction?
The original law:
This subsection may not be construed to prevent a student at any institution of learning from qualifying as a voter in the municipality where the student resides while attending that institution.
And it's "highlighted" by:
A student is not a resident of a municipality where the student resides if the student lives in housing owned by an institution of learning while attending the institution unless the student lived in that municipality prior to attending the institution.
To me that's a complete contradiction.
Supporters accused unnamed students of voting twice and committing other measures of voter fraud but failed to provide any evidence of these federal offenses. Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, who opposes the bill, said, "We have not witnessed the type of problems this bill looks to solve."
The bill disenfranchises the student vote by way of discrimination. The bill is unjust and illegal.
On the day of the hearing students from all across the state arrived in the capital before the commencement. LD 203 was scheduled to be heard last and the college students anxiously waited in the hallway. We were shaking the hands of legislators when I overheard a Republican representative from the joint committee tell a Bates student, "You, sir, look like a Democrat." The student asked, "What does a Democrat look like, sir?"
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