Bite-Size Election Reform

I enjoyed reading your opinion piece on "Here is what Az leaders must do for the state in
2015. I agreed with some of the goals you set out and disagreed with others in particular the
section titled Bite-size election reform. I agree the ballot counting process needs to be streamlined.

Laws against harvesting voted and dropping non-voters from mail in ballots roles is counterproductive to free elections. Harvesting votes like voter fraud is such a nonissue. The practice collecting mail in ballots and delivering them to the post office is such a small percent of votes, it is ridiculous to consider this legislation. A law as such would make me criminal for delivering my 91 year old mother-in-law's ballot to the mail box. It would be a law that would have a negative impact on minority, poor and elderly votes. This is a political partisan issue not a an electoral one. The voter nationwide turnout in the mid-term elections of 40% was appalling. Why do we as a state want to reduce the opportunity to vote? Maybe we should encourage voting. The Legislature could pass a resolution requesting all news outlets on a weekly basis, if not daily, as a public service to remind voters to turn in their mail in ballots. For those who have not used their mail in ballots, make sure that their registered political parties are aware of the those not using their ballots and I assure you they will do adequate outreach. At a time when research from major universities is establishing that the aforementioned laws as well as voter ID laws are reducing voter turnout, we as citizens and our law makers should be making it easier to vote not harder.