October 31, 2002
By Dan Rylance
The privilege of voting by absentee ballot is an American birth right. It's
an integral component of our election process. It provides access to voting
for the elderly, the disabled, and those away from home especially the men and
women of the Armed Forces. In an era of low voter turnout, absentee voting increases
voter turnout by making voting easier and more accessible. Repeal of absentee
voting would be a terrible blunder for this country's experiment with democracy.
So what's the problem? There isn't any. In fact, voter requests for absentee
ballots in Oshkosh and other Wisconsin communities are on the increase. They
should be, as voters will decide who will be the next governor of Wisconsin.
And more requests for absentee ballots means that more citizens will vote on
November 5. Isn't that a good development?
So what's the problem? There isn't any.
Not quite.
There is one small problem. The thinking of Stew Rieckman, editor of the Oshkosh
Northwestern. Rieckman doesn't like a good thing so he opined in his last Sunday
column that Wisconsin's absentee ballot law is breeding fraud, causing the Oshkosh
City Clerk's office to work overtime, and will bankrupt city coffers if allowed
to continue. (Absentee votes invite mischief," October 27, 2002). Rieckman
builds his case on the following allegations:
1. There is a national debate about abuses in absentee voting
2. It's too costly to administer.
3 It's impossible to police and ripe for voter fraud
4 Wisconsin should repeal its absentee voting law.
Here are the real facts.
First, absentee voting is not at the center of a national debate about election
laws. (Rieckman's source is one Wall Street Journal editorial) The national
debate is centered on improving the nation's election process in the wake of
the 2000 presidential election debacle. Has Rieckman read the new federal bill
on election reform? Does it recommend repeal of absentee voting?
Second, it is not too expensive to administer absentee voting. Many absentee voters actually vote in City Hall. They don't request a ballot and the city does not pay for any postage. Second, voting in person in many Oshkosh polling places is actually more expensive. I work at one that in two elections so fat this year less than 150 people voted from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Our wages cost the city more than $500. That comes to almost $5 per vote. Would Rieckman want to close this polling place and others with low voter turnout because the cost is too high?
Third, I don't want Rieckman or any voter cop policing Oshkosh polling places. Is this a new patriot law? I want higher voter turnout not less. If Rieckman smells fraud than he can do his smelling after the election and work with the newly elected Winnebago County District Attorney and investigate it. In the meantime he should be encouraging all his readers to vote on November 5.
Fourth, repealing Wisconsin's absentee voting law is absurd. It makes no sense and Rieckman provides nothing concrete to support repeal. Moreover, as usual, he offers no alternative. Nothing. Just repeal it and let the elderly and members of the National Guard sit out the elections. He provides ample criticism, but not one positive solution. Isn't that what he recently took Jim Genisio, Democratic candidate for the 54th Assemble to task for criticizing but making not positive suggestions for dealing with the budget deficit. Talk about calling the kettle black!
Earlier this fall Rieckman blew three of his Sunday columns on another no brainer. He wrote endlessly about whether the popular liberal basher, Ann Coulter, should be added to the op-ed section of the editorial page. Three weeks! Three weeks while Madison was burning! Now less than two weeks before the election he sticks his noise into another non issue by making a superficial analysis of an increase in absentee ballots in Oshkosh and writes with a straight face that the solution is to repeal the law.
There is, however, one consolation. Absentee voters won't find either the Northwestern or Rieckman's name on the ballot.
Rylance is a former editorial writer for Knight Ridder who now resides in Oshkosh and is a regular contributor to this web site.