Like most Americans born before the creation Fox News, I shared the widely held view that the more qualified people who vote, the better is our democracy -- in theory and in practice. I supported "motor voter" laws automatically registering people to vote when they get their driver's licenses. I welcomed early voting when I saw how much easier it was for my elderly mother to vote when the window was less restrictive. I wasn't willing to go as far as Australia, where voting is mandatory and fines are imposed on nonvoters, but I still welcomed broad participation.
I heard stories about voter fraud, but most of them were long ago, before our more regular system of trained election personnel and pollwatchers became the usual practice.
And I'm highly suspicious of Republican attempts to limit the franchise by imposing restrictions that mainly hurt Democrats. Thus, I am pleased to see this
Wonkblog summary of academic research on the matter. the headline makes the point, but many of the supporting details are fascinating:
7 papers, 4 government inquiries, 2 news investigations and 1 court ruling proving voter fraud is mostly a myth
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