Bill has been filed in Texas to prohibit counties from putting a polling place at a college or university

[longview]

They don't have to charge for parking on election day. They make tons of money on football day.

But in many places election day, is not a day, but several weeks of early voting.

 

[NolanVoyd]

It does create an artificial economy, but in the long run having a University in you town is very good for the town.

In the college town where I went, the university was right downtown.

Throughout the school year the downtown business owners complained that the students took up the parking making it difficult for their customers to come in and shop or eat. And then all summer, when you could park right in front of anything with ease. The downtown business owners complained that there was no business because the students were gone.

Just silly.

People like to complain.

 

[CaughtInThe]

But in many places election day, is not a day, but several weeks of early voting.

Our early voting is in multiple places and then election day is it the main place.

 

[HenryChinaski]

LOL, don't forget WWE and NASCAR events.

And Monster Truck pulls. Voting should be accessible for all.

 

[MaryP]

I have no idea why and I'm sure the sponsors aren't Republicans.

Maybe they should just eliminate both bills and let districts hash it out? Requiring polling places in universities sounds like it could be difficult for some? I know at the college I worked at, I had to battle for a spot every morning, and I had a permit.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Election month lasts too long and parking is a problem at many of those institutions.

Nonsense.
I lived in North TX for ten years and I don't remember any stories of parking problems during an election.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I'm surprised they haven't just gone straight for the jugular and tried to ban colleges and universities.

DeSantis is teaching them that you start first with eliminating AP.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Voters should be voting in appropriate places like truck stops, strip clubs, gun stores and Cracker Barrel.

In some small Texas towns that is all one store.

 

[beefheart]

It the stupid people waging their war on intellect.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I know the reason but I still have to ask.

WHY?
What is WRONG with voting stations at colleges and universities?

Why should they be required, as the initial bill would do?

Oh, there's a dorm with a thousand students so they need a polling place of their own? Why doesn't that logic extend to an apartment building with a thousand tenants?

Why are the college kids so special they need their own polling location? Why can't they go up the street to the local precinct? What proportion of those students enrolled are registered to vote elsewhere anyway?

I don't agree with the notion that polling places should be prohibited on a college campus, but as a response to a bill that would treat universities differently anyway, I'm rather unconcerned about it.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Nonsense.
I lived in North TX for ten years and I don't remember any stories of parking problems during an election.

Really? You found free on campus parking?

There is no free parking in either the pay garages or in permit parking areas except for the following events or as approved by the Vice President for Finance and Support Services. Departments are responsible for contacting Parking Services to arrange for exempt event parking…

Special Events

www.parking.txst.edu

There is no free visitor parking on the main campus (aside from loading zone parking). Visitors are advised to park in university parking garages. No permit is required to park in the garages; just pull a ticket on your way in and process it at the exit, a paystation, or the garage office before you leave. Fees are calculated based on the amount of time you are in the garage. Garage daily parking offers the closest, most convenient spaces to all areas of the university for visitors.

Visitor Parking | Parking & Transportation | The University of Texas at Austin

parking.utexas.edu

 

[Integrityrespec]

I know the reason but I still have to ask.

WHY?
What is WRONG with voting stations at colleges and universities?

I'm republican and I'd like to know the reasons. I may agree, I'm not sure but I'd like to know why. Maybe they have a good reason.

 

[Loulit01]

Voters should be voting in appropriate places like truck stops, strip clubs, gun stores and Cracker Barrel.

All voting booths should be adjacent to silos. In order to vote you must be able to driver a John Deere tractor to the silo, unload the crop, overhaul the tractor, and allow the sun to redden your neck while giving a speech in favor ethanol in gasoline.

 

[Integrityrespec]

Why should they be required, as the initial bill would do?

Oh, there's a dorm with a thousand students so they need a polling place of their own? Why doesn't that logic extend to an apartment building with a thousand tenants?

Why are the college kids so special they need their own polling location? Why can't they go up the street to the local precinct? What proportion of those students enrolled are registered to vote elsewhere anyway?

I don't agree with the notion that polling places should be prohibited on a college campus, but as a response to a bill that would treat universities differently anyway, I'm rather unconcerned about it.

Come on, this seems to be a little more obvious as I read it. College kids, vote mostly democrat so they want to make it as easy as they can. So for every polling both put at a college we have to put one in a republican voting hub. Is that reasonable.o

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I'm republican and I'd like to know the reasons. I may agree, I'm not sure but I'd like to know why. Maybe they have a good reason.

Well, it doesn't look like anyone is closing down or removing SOME polling places from SOME problematic university locations, it looks (at least for now) like they want ALL polling places at universities shut down.
If one or two locations complained about logistical stuff like parking then I could understand "Hey, we need to shut this one down, maybe open a new one down the street" but closing ALL college polling places or prohibiting ALL polling locations at colleges smells like something else.

 

[mrjurrs]

I had not though of that, many campuses do not have free visitor parking,
which itself might be a 15th amendment violation.

How does limited parking relate to race, color or previous condition of servitude?

Maybe the 24th but I doubt it.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Come on, this seems to be a little more obvious as I read it. College kids, vote mostly democrat so they want to make it as easy as they can. So for every polling both put at a college we have to put one in a republican voting hub. Is that reasonable.o

Republicans go to college too.

 

[NolanVoyd]

I'm republican and I'd like to know the reasons. I may agree, I'm not sure but I'd like to know why. Maybe they have a good reason.

The reason is that students are more likely to vote for democrats, so making it more difficult to vote serves their electoral interests, American values be damned.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Come on, this seems to be a little more obvious as I read it. College kids, vote mostly democrat so they want to make it as easy as they can.

Sure. And the bill to ban polling locations on university campuses is a response to the one that would mandate them. They are equally stupid.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

The reason is that students to vote for democrats, so making it more difficult to vote serves their electoral interests, American values be damned.

It is reasonable to suspect this bill is a response to a different bill that would mandate polling locations at universities. Why college students need such special treatment compared to residents of similarly-dense areas, I do not know. Both bills are silly. The second may be intended to illustrate the silliness of the first.

 

[ttwtt78640]

The reason is that students are more likely to vote for democrats, so making it more difficult to vote serves their electoral interests, American values be damned.

A reason is that free parking isn’t available, thus it imposes a poll tax.

Garage Daily Parking Rates

parking.utexas.edu

 

[NolanVoyd]

It is reasonable to suspect this bill is a response to a different bill that would mandate polling locations at universities. Why college students need such special treatment compared to residents of similarly-dense areas, I do not know. Both bills are silly. The second may be intended to illustrate the silliness of the first.

It should be super easy for everyone to vote. If other dense areas have long lines to vote, they obviously need way more polling places too.

Voting should be made easier not harder.

 

[NolanVoyd]

A reason is that free parking isn’t available, thus it imposes a poll tax.

Garage Daily Parking Rates

parking.utexas.edu

That is a good point.

 

[Lursa]

Young people will vote, that's what's wrong. Are we trying to make it easy for our citizens to vote, is this the way democracy works?

I know...but is anyone trying to prohibit polling places in churches? Seems like conservatives would freak at that.

In my old Seattle 'hood, my polling place was a church.

 

[Lursa]

A reason is that free parking isn’t available, thus it imposes a poll tax.

Garage Daily Parking Rates

parking.utexas.edu

People can choose their polling places. Or they can mail it in in many states, not sure about TX.

So yup, it does make it more convenient for students at those schools...oops! Nailed it!