Automatic voter registration flawed

Contrary to what the promoters of automatic voter registration suggest, AVR will not increase voter participation in our elections. The idea that it is too difficult to register is ludicrous; look at the turnout in countries given their first chance at voting.

AVR addresses the symptom of the problem, not the cause and will open the door to the possibility of voter fraud. The real way to increase participation is to give the voters a choice. In Illinois, our politicians (both parties) gerrymander voting districts to insure retaining their positions by running unopposed. Why vote if the outcome is preordained and you have no choice?

If we are truly interested in increasing voter participation, we need to have districts set by an independent board as petitioned twice in the past few years but not allowed to be voted on because it would take power away from the politicians. Term limits would also help bring in fresh thinking.

I find it very interesting how a governor who has been in office for two years is blamed for not fixing our problems when the speaker of the House has controlled the state for 30 years is not.

Dave Forster

Elk Grove Village