Mesquite Lion
March 31, 2006
The recent revelation that local city elections will most likely be cancelled this
year because of a lack of opposition to all incumbents on the city council
and school board. Leaves the public to wait for the next time they are able to
enforce there will thru the ballot box.
That you are given the knowledge that you won't be able to vote again till at least
the November general election or in a Mesquite city election for another year.
Even though we will have to wait, I still believe it is very important to vote in an
election; to be part of the political process, and to do that the first thing you must
do is become registered to vote.
But not everyone does so, reasons vary, many are due to misunderstandings
when registering to vote.
Probably the biggest issue concerning registering to vote is its link to jury duty. It
is one of the most common of all misconceptions concerning registering.
The idea that one will be chosen by the courts to serve jury duty simply because
you are a registered voter this is only partly true. Yes, you will be eligible to be
placed on a list for jury duty, but it's not the only way to get your name onto that
list.
The departments of motor vehicles and public safety along with the registrar of
voters are required by law to make available their lists to the federal and
state jury services. The selection of those chosen to serve is a random process
and doesn't favor one list over another. But most think that jury lists are
only pulled from voter registration rolls. This is incorrect. If you have a driver's
license or DPS identification card, you are also eligible to be called for jury
selection. So, not registering to vote won't keep you from being called for jury
duty.
Sometimes people do not register because they think they will have to declare a
political party affiliation. This is not so. The only time a person must declare a
party is when he or she votes in a primary election.
Those who are convicted felons cannot vote while serving time in prison. But
once they complete the punishment phase of their sentences and are
released, they regain the right to vote.
Non-citizens cannot vote until they gain citizenship. An Immigrant can do this by
becoming a naturalized citizen. But not beforehand. Many of our most active
regular voters are naturalized citizens who have worked hard to earn the right.
These voters more often than not, vote more often than our own natural-born
citizens. This is sad but true.
So let's review; Jury lists, used by courts, are made from a combination of
drivers licenses, ID cards, and voter registration lists. And registering to vote
will not increase or decrease your chances for jury duty. You only declare a
political affiliation if you vote in a primary election, convicted felons regain the
right to vote once they have served there time and immigrants can vote once they
become a naturalized citizen.
This being said, I think that the dissemination of incorrect and misleading
information concerning voter registration should not be allowed to continue, for
it only discourages citizens from participating in the political process.
Mesquite Lion
The recent revelation that local city elections will most likely be cancelled this
year because of a lack of opposition to all incumbents on the city council
and school board. Leaves the public to wait for the next time they are able to
enforce there will thru the ballot box.
That you are given the knowledge that you won't be able to vote again till at least
the November general election or in a Mesquite city election for another year.
Even though we will have to wait, I still believe it is very important to vote in an
election; to be part of the political process, and to do that the first thing you must
do is become registered to vote.
But not everyone does so, reasons vary, many are due to misunderstandings
when registering to vote.
Probably the biggest issue concerning registering to vote is its link to jury duty. It
is one of the most common of all misconceptions concerning registering.
The idea that one will be chosen by the courts to serve jury duty simply because
you are a registered voter this is only partly true. Yes, you will be eligible to be
placed on a list for jury duty, but it's not the only way to get your name onto that
list.
The departments of motor vehicles and public safety along with the registrar of
voters are required by law to make available their lists to the federal and
state jury services. The selection of those chosen to serve is a random process
and doesn't favor one list over another. But most think that jury lists are
only pulled from voter registration rolls. This is incorrect. If you have a driver's
license or DPS identification card, you are also eligible to be called for jury
selection. So, not registering to vote won't keep you from being called for jury
duty.
Sometimes people do not register because they think they will have to declare a
political party affiliation. This is not so. The only time a person must declare a
party is when he or she votes in a primary election.
Those who are convicted felons cannot vote while serving time in prison. But
once they complete the punishment phase of their sentences and are
released, they regain the right to vote.
Non-citizens cannot vote until they gain citizenship. An Immigrant can do this by
becoming a naturalized citizen. But not beforehand. Many of our most active
regular voters are naturalized citizens who have worked hard to earn the right.
These voters more often than not, vote more often than our own natural-born
citizens. This is sad but true.
So let's review; Jury lists, used by courts, are made from a combination of
drivers licenses, ID cards, and voter registration lists. And registering to vote
will not increase or decrease your chances for jury duty. You only declare a
political affiliation if you vote in a primary election, convicted felons regain the
right to vote once they have served there time and immigrants can vote once they
become a naturalized citizen.
This being said, I think that the dissemination of incorrect and misleading
information concerning voter registration should not be allowed to continue, for
it only discourages citizens from participating in the political process.
Mesquite Lion
Voter Registration Misconceptions