[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E3]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REPEAL THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT

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                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 6, 1999

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I am today reintroducing my legislation to 
repeal the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the ``motor-voter'' 
bill.
  The law, which took effect in most states on January 1, 1995, 
requires states to establish voter registration procedures for federal 
elections so that citizens may register to vote by mail, at state and 
local public assistance agencies and while applying for a driver's 
license. Motor voter provides no funding to the states to carry out any 
of these prescribed features.
  The motor voter law was crafted to increase voter turnout by making 
the ballot more accessible. In one sense, it has achieved its goal. 
Motor voter has extended voting rights to non-citizens, dead people, 
children and even animals. On a more serious note, motor voter has 
fallen woefully short of its intended goal. While it is responsible for 
adding massive numbers of new voters to the rolls, voter turnout 
remains at dismally low levels. In 1996, voter participation dropped to 
49.7%, one of the lowest rates in this century.
  Motor voter has been a nightmare for many state election officials. 
Some have stated that motor voter has caused them to lose control over 
potential voter fraud. It ties their hands in removing ``dead wood'' 
from their rolls by requiring them to keep registrants who fail to vote 
or who are unresponsive to voter registration correspondence to be 
maintained on voter rolls for years. Moreover, it fails to provide for 
citizenship verification. As troubling, the law has actually hindered 
citizens' voting rights. In the last election, in my home State of 
Arizona, voters who registered to vote while applying for a driver's 
license were turned away at the polls. Apparently, their applications 
were not properly forwarded to the election recorder. Mr. Speaker, this 
presents an interesting and poignant question: Why would we entrust our 
privileged right to vote to the wrong people?
  Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no need for this unyielding federal 
presence in voter registration. The states carry the responsibility for 
administering all elections and should be free to do so without 
unnecessary and heavy-handed federal intervention. Last Congress, we 
were unsuccessful in mitigating some of the more egregious provision of 
motor voter. Although I found this disappointing, I was encouraged by 
the heightened interest in reversing the law.
  Mr. Speaker, the fraud perpetuated by motor voter will undoubtedly 
contribute to increasing voter apathy. I urge my colleagues to continue 
their fight to preserve the integrity of the vote by repealing motor 
voter. Voters must have assurances that a fraudulent ballot will not 
negate their precious vote. Please join me in repealing this ill-
conceived federal mandate, which is a threat to our democracy.

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