Matt WilcoxAug 12, 2024

Do Americans realise how absolutely insane the very concept of “purging a voter registration list” is? You have to *register to vote*? What are you even talking about?

Are you a citizen? Then you should automatically get a vote. There isn’t anything to administer. You live there. The government serves you; not you it. Voting isn’t supposed to be a privilege, or reward.

The obvious abuse vector that any system other than “all citizens vote” becomes is astounding.

Show threadChristian Mutig 👻🚫Aug 12, 2024
@mattwilcox That's why I couldn't believe it when I first heard about voter registration being a thing in the US.
Here in Germany we actually get notified about every upcoming election and if we want a mail-in ballot or not.
Show threadColm Ó DonnchadhaAug 12, 2024
@Ductos @mattwilcox how does the person notifying you know a) how to contact you?
b) that you are entitled to vote?
Show threadDemiurgAug 12, 2024
@ColmDonoghue @Ductos @mattwilcox I think there is a misunderstanding. In Germany every citizen MUST register the current address always ('Meldepflicht') and can therefore be also registered to vote automatically. That doesn't exist in the US or most of US states. So, since the state does not have you in a register already, you have to register to vote.
Show threadColm Ó DonnchadhaAug 12, 2024
@demiurg @Ductos @mattwilcox how do nomadic people do this in Germany?
Show threadDr. h.c.* Grober Unfug
@ColmDonoghue @demiurg @Ductos @mattwilcox
They have to register themselves at the local Office of the town they "usually stay the most". Then a few weeks before they have to go to the local voters office to register to vote.
Alternative some caritative orgs (Church, Caritas etc) or refugee homes let you use their address as address.
It's a bit of a hassle and you need citizenship and valid ID as most homeless in germany have problems the reality is more complicated.
Aug 13, 2024 at 5:10amTusky
Show threadMathias MicheelAug 13, 2024
@GroberUnfug2 @ColmDonoghue @demiurg @Ductos @mattwilcox also, often, when you just moved to a new location before an election, you are not allowed to vote there directly. but this basically only targets local elections. Nationwide elections work a bit differently, you can always vote for the national parliament.