Early voting flubs

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning has really missed the mark on early voting:

"[Voting] lines are a sign of a healthy democracy, and certainly our democracy is healthy today."

Early voting in Florida began on Monday. According to the Washington Post, voters in Florida waited in line for hours in order to cast their ballots. This is a travesty.

It's great that Florida is offering this opportunity to voters, but it's being very poorly implemented. Voting should be easy, and should not require you to stand outside facing inclement weather.

The voters most hurt by this ineptitude is low-income people, people of color, and women. If these folks are forced to wait at the polls, it is increasingly likely they will have to leave to take care of their other obligations. And these groups are most likely to vote for progressive issues.

Consequently, it is imperative that students work with local elections officials to ensure the voting process goes smoothly on Election Day. If your county is still training poll workers, sign up and get paid to work on Nov. 4th. This will better enable your friends and neighbors to cast their ballots and participate in our democracy!