I was very interested by the ideas in the op-ed “It’s time to make it easier to vote in the birthplace of democracy” (March 6, TribLive). I work in communities where people struggle to make ends meet, and many of them work long hours, often at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table. Plenty of other folks in these communities are caring for children and/or older family members as well. In a previous life as a community organizer, I would frequently hear from people that finding time to get away from their responsibilities on a single weekday with a limited timeframe so that they could vote, even though they wanted to, was difficult.
If we made changes like allowing people to vote early in person at their local polling places, and letting them show up to register and be able to cast a ballot on Election Day, it would make it a lot easier for people in under-resourced communities to make their voices heard and elect officials who will look out for them and help them improve their lives.
Taiwan La’Rue
McKees Rocks