It's a nice catch...

[pat]

In Michigan, if you have registered by mail, you cannot vote via absentee ballot until you have cast at least one vote in-person at your polling place of record (and no, Michigan does not have early voting). People who are over 60, handicapped, in the military, or residing overseas, are exempt.

It's an odd sort of provision... so who would it affect? Primarily one group, big time:

College students. College students who live either in other states or in other parts of the state and are registering at their address of record, their parents' home. They would be registering by mail, and they would be naturally unable to go to the polls.

Not nice.

The vote can be cast in any election, so special elections, school boards elections and summer primaries would work, but since a lot of organizing and political work goes on centered around general elections in the fall, when students are back in school, this would hit a lot of folks, I imagine.

Comments

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

I remember having some trouble registering to vote in Providence when I was in college, because they wanted a physical address other than a PO Box, and our dorms didn't have addresses per se. I think it got worked out somehow, but the obstacle wasn't fun.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I ought have said something earlier, but this is swell stuff you are doing, not just the dates, but the explication of what the various laws/regulations do.

TK

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It means a lot to get feedback, and I value your opinion.