Several months ago I published “A More Perfect Constitution”. Its language in many places is directed at abuses that have arisen in America’s governance. Because of its daunting length, I suspect that few readers have digested it whole, and that even fewer reader have been taken notice of the many places in which the document strives to undo the damage that has been done to Americans’ liberties. This series of posts highlights that language in bite-size chunks. Links to all excerpts are given at the end of this post.
II. CITIZENSHIP, VOTING, AND RELIGIOUS TESTS FOR OFFICE
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B. Citizenship by Birth
A person who is born after the ratification of this Constitution becomes a citizen of the United States, regardless of that person’s place of birth, if at the time of birth that person has a least one parent who is a citizen of the United States (including a parent who was a citizen of the United States but who died before the birth). Birth within the territory of the United States, within any of its States, or within a territory, possession, or foreign installation of the United States does not, in itself, convey citizenship.
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D. Voting
1. Only citizens of the United States may cast ballots in elections, referenda, recalls, or other matters pertaining to the governance of the United States or any State.
2. The minimum attained age of a voter shall be at least twenty-one, although a State may by law set a higher minimum age. The minimum age established by a State shall apply to voting within that State, including voting in elections for offices of the government of the United States.
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5. The ballots for all elections, referenda, recalls, or other matters pertaining to the governance of the United States shall be cast on a consecutive Saturday and Sunday on dates established by Congress for the election of the president, vice president, and members of the Congress of the United States. The legislatures of the respective States shall establish by law the dates for voting on all matters pertaining to the governance of the States, except that the dates for each election, referendum, recall, or other matters pertaining to the governance of a State must span two consecutive days, the first being a Saturday.
6. All ballots shall be cast in person at polling places designated in accordance with the laws of each State, except that a State legislature may by law allow the casting of absentee ballots by persons who are disabled (as provided by State law), over the age of sixty-five, or who will at the time of an election be absent from the districts in which they are registered to vote. Persons casting absentee ballots shall deliver them or cause them to be delivered to locations designated by State law. Absentee ballots may not be made available to an eligible voter except upon written request by that voter or his legally authorized agent; may not be made available to an eligible voter more than thirty days before the date of the pertinent election, referendum, recall or other matter pertaining to governance; and may not be counted until the beginning of the first day of voting in an eligible voter’s State.
7. All ballots cast in each State shall be counted no less than seventy-two hours after the close of in-person voting in the State. The results of each election, referendum, recall, etc., shall be certified by the official designated by State law to make such certification no later than ninety-six hours after the close of in-person voting in the State, unless there is a recount of ballots conducted in accordance with State law, in which case the results shall be certified no less than one hundred and forty-four hours after the close of in-person voting in the State.
8. All ballots for all elections in the United States shall be printed on paper. Each ballot must be marked by the eligible voter who is casting the ballot, except where a voter’s physical handicap requires the marking of a ballot by another person, who shall sign, under penalty of perjury, attesting to his identity, the identity of the person for whom he is marking a ballot, and the conformity of the completed ballot with the instructions of the voter.
9. No person or organization may collect more than five absentee ballots for delivery to a place designated by a State legislature for the collection of absentee ballots.
10. No non-governmental organization may plan, oversee, or administer any aspect of any election, referendum, recall, or other matter pertaining to the governance of the United States or any State. This provision includes but is not limited to the creation or maintenance of registries of eligible voters, the review of eligibility to cast absentee ballots, the preparation and transmission of such ballots, and the collection and delivery of such ballots to such places as may be designated by State law.
Excerpt 2, from Article II: RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF CITIZENS