The huge number of people voting before Election Day and the difficulties too many people have trying to vote on Election Day call for a better way of conducting elections. Rather than declaring Election Day a national holiday, which would be opposed by most employers, make Veterans Day the official Election Day. That would get more people out to thank veterans and make it easier for more people to vote on that day.
One of the most precious freedoms the nation’s veterans fought for is the constitutionally-protected right to vote. For people voting ahead of time, provided that proper security measures can be taken to ensure ballot integrity, the process can be simplified to make it less cumbersome than the current absentee voting system, which overloads beleaguered city and town clerks. Many, if not most of them have been so busy trying to keep up with the demands of absentee voting that they must be having a hard time keeping up with their other important duties.
The easiest way to align with national elections would be to simply change the celebration of Veterans Day to the first Tuesday in November. It would also help municipalities find the poll workers needed to staff polling places.
Maine could lead the nation in doing this and live up to its motto, “Dirigo” (“I direct” or “I lead”).
Richard Whiting, Auburn
Send questions/comments to the editors.
