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S.29 – AN ACT RELATING ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION, DEGREE AMENDMENT
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PASSED
in the State Senate on April 1, 2015 by a vote of
7-21
Purpose: The underlying bill, S.29, establishes “election day registration” to vote. (Ie, you can walk in off the streets on the first Tuesday of November, register to vote, vote, and leave). The Degree Amendment would have required those doing so to present a valid photo ID to prove they are who they say they are, and proof of residence such as an electric bill, pay stub, etc, to prove that they live where they say they live.
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Analysis: Those voting YES on the Degree Amendment believe that requiring voters to prove who they are and that they live where they live will help prevent voter fraud, which is critical in a state like Vermont where elections are often determined by a handful of votes. Allowing election day registration without requiring mechanisms to verify who new registrants are or where they live is an invitation to voter fraud.
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Those voting NO cited that the prospect of voter fraud was not a compelling enough reason to pass the amendment.
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Vermont’s Municipal Town Clerks Association opposed the S.29, and supported the Degree Amendment, as did the Vermont League of Cities & Towns.
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A May 2014 national poll showed that 70% of voters favor voter ID laws, with majorities in support across all political and demographic sub-groups.
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Senate Journal, Wednesday, April 1, 2015. “Which was disagreed to on a roll call, Yeas 7, Nays 21. ” (Read the Journal, p. 345)
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How They Voted
(Click on Your Senator’s Name to Send an Email)
Timothy Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) – NO
Claire Ayer (D-Addison) – ABSENT
Becca Balint (D-Windham) – NO
Philip Baruth (D-Chittenden) – NO
Joseph Benning (R-Caledonia) – YES
Christopher Bray (D-Addison) – NO
John Campbell (D-Windsor) – NO
Brian Campion (D-Bennington) – NO
Brian Collamore (R-Rutland) – YES
Ann Cummings (D-Washington) – NO
Dustin Degree (R-Franklin) – YES
William Doyle (R-Washington) – ABSENT
Margaret Flory (R-Rutland) – YES
M. Jane Kitchel (D-Caledonia) – NO
Virginia Lyons (D-Chittenden) – NO
Mark MacDonald (D-Orange) – NO
Richard Mazza (D-Chittenden-Grand Isle) – NO
Norman McAllister (R-Franklin) – YES
Richard McCormack (D-Windsor) – NO
Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland) – YES
Alice Nitka (D-Windsor District) – NO
Anthony Pollina (P/D/W-Washington) – NO
John Rodgers (D-Essex-Orleans) – NO
Richard Sears (D-Bennington) – NO
Diane Snelling (R-Chittenden) – NO
Robert Starr (D-Essex-Orleans) – NO
Michael Sirotkin (D-Chittenden) – NO
Richard Westman (R-Lamoille) – YES
Jeanette White (D-Windham) – NO
David Zuckerman (P-Chittenden) – NO
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