Dana Beyer, MD, for Maryland State Delegate 2010

Election Reform 2010

We have serious problems with our election law. We have a dysfunctional system, as made manifest during the 2006 primary in Montgomery County when balloting was delayed for three hours, as well as during the ultimately futile attempt to petition to referendum Montgomery County’s civil rights law. Lack of communication between the state and local boards of election, inadequate funding and staffing of our local board, and an election code that remains way too vague and too easy to game in an undemocratic manner, created a comedy of errors which put people’s lives at risk.

Unlike California, where referenda sprout like mushrooms each fall, often designed more to advance a narrow, repressive agenda than to improve democracy, Maryland has more stringent requirements to put an issue to the voters. Unfortunately, this year a group of senators sponsored a bill, SB 240, to loosen the petition-gathering rules.

SB 240 might well have slipped through unnoticed, but I recognized the danger along with several progressive groups. We lobbied against the bill and it died in committee.

It remains a sad fact that here in Maryland we allow a majority to strip the civil rights from a minority. That must be changed.

In the meantime, I support a rewriting of the election statutes to clarify and tighten the rules and standards which allow our representative democracy to flourish.

In addition, Maryland can do its part in moving the country closer to universal voter registration. Many countries reach the 90% level, while we fall short. Simple fixes include switching to an opt-out provision while registering at the MVA, early registration for 16 and 17-year-olds who apply for their first driver’s license, and Election Day Registration. We have also taken a small step in improving turnout this year by allowing everyone to vote by mail.