Letter to the Editor of the Intelligencer, October 14, 2009

 

Board refuses to honor law

 

To the Editor:

 

Your Oct. 12 editorial, "Do as they say... but not as they do in Bucks County," pointed out that while the board of elections followed an election rule closely in refusing to place a referendum on the November ballot, they blatantly ignore other state laws.

 

In regard to their decision regarding this referendum, you wrote: "(Commissioners) Martin and Cawley made the right call, as far as we are concerned. Election rules are in place for a reason, and should be followed."

 

The board of elections, however, does not follow an election statute that impacts the very core of our democracy, the ability of every registered voter to vote. This state election statute, 25 P.S. 2702, sets the maximum number of voters at a polling place at 1,200. For the last presidential election in 2008, 198 of Bucks County's 304 polling places had more than 1,200 voters on its rolls. Fifteen of the polling places had double that number; the largest had more than 3,000 voters.

 

Ignoring this statute contributes to longer wait times to vote and may cause voters who cannot wait due to job and family responsibilities or health to lose their chance to vote.

 

Why does the board of elections ignore this statute, yet followed very precisely the letter of a change of government law and denied the placement of the referendum on the ballot in this general election, deferring it until the primary, when few voters vote?

 

Madeline Rawley

Coalition for Voting Integrity

 

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/363/2009/october/14/board-refuses-to-honor-law.html