A new proposal from Assembyman Joe Coto (D-San Jose) would require high school students to register to vote in order to receive their diplomas.  The Secretary of State says that roughly 30% of elgible voters in California aren’t registered, and the article relates speculation (without numbers, natch) that this gap is larger among younger voters.

Republicans, in their kneejerk, disenfranchising way, have already begun to blast the proposal, claiming that it’s politically motivated since young people tend to vote for Democrats.  They’ve also put forth the lame objection that just getting people registered doesn’t mean they’ll actually vote, so why bother, fretting that “Voting is a right, not a requirement” (Anthony Adams, R-Monrovia).

Anyone who’s ever gotten me wound up about voter registration and participation (oddly, not that many. weird…) knows that I’m a hardass about registering people.  If you can sign them up for a draft that doesn’t exist, you can sign them up to vote if they feel like it.  The whole idea that this in any slight way is a problem for the people being registered is absurd, and it’s the saddest level of transparency for Republicans to object to this obligatory invitation into the civic process.

And while we’re on the subject, how about a little bit more contradiction from the Right on this one? On the one hand, this doesn’t actually get anyone to vote, so why bother.  On the other hand, this will work to turn out new Democrats, so it’s a partisan power grab.  In other words, “Hey, you wanna hang out this weekend? No? Well I never liked you anyways. Jerk.”

This was covered briefly on NPR earlier, though I can’t find a link, and that report cited voter registration experts who said young voters often are discouraged from registering by missed deadlines and a complex process.  They also suggested that as major push towards registering young people would expand Latino participation by leaps and bounds.

A recent Gallup poll of the continental United States found that only 7 states had more Republicans than Democrats by self identification. SEVEN. It isn’t even a matter of convincing people we’re right at this point (maybe it will be again soon, but whatever, that’s another bridge), cause we’ve done that.  It’s a matter of convincing them that they can and should show up.

So I know, there are no whores, no sex scandals, no evil corporate Blue Dogs.  But while Republicans across the country continue to make it more and more difficult for people to vote, California has an opportunity to lead the way in removing a major roadblock.  Nobody has to vote, but shouldn’t we make sure everyone can?