i was rejected from voting...

[Jon S]

im a 17 year old who will be turning 18 this coming december and was trying to register to vote just in case this "closing date" in colorado keeps me from voting for ron... the primaries are on feb 5th and we all know when the general election is... they highlighted my birthday (which says i'll be old enough in time) and pretty much everything related to my age. are they really that fucking stupid? this is making me really mad.

btw: i live in colorado...

[risiusj]

So, they said to your face that you're too young? Did you re-explain to them that you will be 18 before the elections in 08?

[devil21]

Visit your local voter registration office in person. It's harder to blow someone off face to face than in a letter.

[libertythor]

In most states you can vote in the primaries at 17 if you will be 18 for the general election.

[Jon S]

well i mailed it in and they mailed it back with everything related to my age highlighted. i plan on calling them on tuesday when i get back from arizona...

[Bradley in DC]

im a 17 year old who will be turning 18 this coming december and was trying to register to vote just in case this "closing date" in colorado keeps me from voting for ron... the primaries are on feb 5th and we all know when the general election is... they highlighted my birthday (which says i'll be old enough in time) and pretty much everything related to my age. are they really that fucking stupid? this is making me really mad.

btw: i live in colorado...

Jon, great to see your ethusiasm, welcome to the movement! Call the local Board of Elections of state Secretary of State (I've actually emailed with them in your state by coincidence and they were very nice and receptive).

Second, after clarifying that your state does allow it (I'm not sure, but many states do), copy everything and go to your local news "consumer on your side" or something like that. Great publicity for Ron Paul and youth voting--and the best disinfectant to incompetence is sunlight. Those reporters are always looking for these kind of stories--they'll usually solve it for you. Great human interest story. ;)

[itsnobody]

Don't worry for unregistered voters the deadline is later...so no problem, but for people who have to change their party line its earlier

[ksuguy]

Go over to the court house and do it in person. Bring print outs of the relevant laws if you have to.

[CMoore]

you can go ahead and register and when you turn 18, you can vote.

At the West Alabama Republican Alliance straw poll (which Dr. Paul won with 81% of the vote) one of the speakers was encouraging people who were 17 to go ahead and register so they would be able to vote as soon as they turn 18.

[bc2208]

When I registered to vote, I received my rejected application in the mail with a note written in the most illiterate fashion conceivable. Just bitch at them a lot.

[FreedomLover]

im a 17 year old who will be turning 18 this coming december and was trying to register to vote just in case this "closing date" in colorado keeps me from voting for ron... the primaries are on feb 5th and we all know when the general election is... they highlighted my birthday (which says i'll be old enough in time) and pretty much everything related to my age. are they really that fucking stupid? this is making me really mad.

btw: i live in colorado...

In some states you have to wait for the next round of elections (usually lower offices like school board and state delegates and usually in november) before you can actually register.

Assuming colorado has elections this november, and the fact that you were born in december, means you have to wait til after those elections to register.

That's just an educated guess...but it makes the most sense in your case.

[bbachtung]

im a 17 year old who will be turning 18 this coming december and was trying to register to vote just in case this "closing date" in colorado keeps me from voting for ron... the primaries are on feb 5th and we all know when the general election is... they highlighted my birthday (which says i'll be old enough in time) and pretty much everything related to my age. are they really that fucking stupid? this is making me really mad.

btw: i live in colorado...

First, Jon, thank you for taking the time to try to register to vote; it is amazing how many RP people are getting motivated to get involved in voting.

The form is so clear; I can't understand how the hell that those bastards can be so stupid.



Will you be 18 years of age on or before Election Day? (Required)


And



You Must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen.
• Register to vote no later than 29 days before the election.
• Be 18 years old on or before the date of the election in which you want to vote.
• Reside in Colorado and at your present address at least 30 days before the election.
• Complete the fields marked "REQUIRED" on the application, including your complete address with apartment or unit number.


A link to the PDF of the Colorado voter registration form is here (http://www.elections.colorado.gov/admin/LogReportingManagement/LinkClick.aspx?table=Links&field=ItemID&id=2146&link=Clerks+Corner%2fSOS+Approved+Forms%2f2007_for ms%2f2007_voter_registration_english_fillable.pdf) .

I agree with the suggestion that you go to the local television media; they are always talking about how young people don't care and don't vote.

[born2drv]

if i were you i'd contact the ron paul campaign and tell them what happened, maybe they can help you prepare a proper press release and a story can be made of it... especially if they can find 1-2 other people that were also denied.

[Original_Intent]

There are probably local elections this coming November (which would be election day) and because he isn't going to be 18 before then, they are probably requiring that he wait until after those elections to register.

I doubt they are being idiots, although with government that would usually be my first guess.

[BW4Paul]

I agree with the suggestion that you go to the local television media; they are always talking about how young people don't care and don't vote.
Whoa, whoa hold on now. There's no need to run screaming to the media anytime something like this happens.

Please remember that the person who processed this voter application is most likely an undereducated government paper-pusher who is likely not exactly enthusiastic about his/her job. It's entirely possible that they made a mistake in processing the form because they couldn't be bothered to look up the laws properly- not because of some deep, dark conspiracy. :rolleyes:

I would suggest that the original poster go down to the Town Hall sometime over the next few days. He should dress relatively nicely (a button-down shirt, a tie, and khaki pants), and explain the situation in a calm and rational manner to the clerk behind the counter. More than likely this is a simple mistake that can be rectified with a minimum of pain and drama for everyone.

[FreedomLover]

Whoa, whoa hold on now. There's no need to run screaming to the media anytime something like this happens.

I agree, I think some of us need to learn to consult logic before conspiracy.

[Abobo]

Whoa, whoa hold on now. There's no need to run screaming to the media anytime something like this happens.

Yes there is. If the government blocks someone who legally can vote from voting that is very much news worthy. It doesn't matter if he was blocked because of a grand conspiracy or a stupid paper pusher it's all the same thing. A government employee blocked someone from registering to vote. That's a big deal and should be reported.

If you believe that some moron handling this stuff doesn't know the law then don't you think that should be made public? Don't you think people should get pissed off? And don't you think that person should be fired?

[BW4Paul]

Yes there is. If the government blocks someone who legally can vote from voting that is very much news worthy. It doesn't matter if he was blocked because of a grand conspiracy or a stupid paper pusher it's all the same thing. A government employee blocked someone from registering to vote. That's a big deal and should be reported.

If you believe that some moron handling this stuff doesn't know the law then don't you think that should be made public? Don't you think people should get pissed off? And don't you think that person should be fired?

Erm, we might try educating them about the law, first. You never know- the clerk might learn something, apologize, and never make the error again.

Do I think that this person should know the law already? Sure! It's part of their job! But have you ever made mistakes at your job when you should have known the proper thing to do? I'll bet you have.

Remember that this person is a government employee. The same mistake-prone, inefficient government that we want to substantially reduce. Why should it be shocking to you that this government employee made a mistake? Isn't it one of the central points of this campaign that the government makes too many mistakes?! So why does any of this surprise you?

Just calm down, have a brewski, and remember that government errors are par for the course. Then vote for Dr. Paul in the hopes of keeping those errors to a minimum. :D

[0zzy]

My birthday is on April 5th.
Texas primaries is on March 4th.

I can't vote in the primaries.
I MUST be 18.

GAY!