Generation Z voters, Zoomers, are unable to sign signatures, causing large numbers of mail-in ballots to be rejected. This was reported by Business Insider in reference to the Secretary of State of Nevada, Francisco Aguilar.
A comparatively large number of mail-in ballots were rejected in Clark and Washoe counties, two of the state’s most populous counties, due to signature matching issues, Aguilar said.
“The main thing is that today young people do not have signatures. And when they registered to vote through the automatic voter registration system, they signed digitally at the DMV.” Aguilar told the New York Times.
It should be noted that US states require a voter signature on mail-in and absentee ballots, and some require additional verification, including comparing this signature to the voter’s signature on record. Ballots lacking verifiable signatures are not counted in uncorrected states.
Before Election Day, more than 11,300 mail-in ballots needed signature processing in Clark County and more than 1,800 in Washoe County, the Nevada Secretary of State’s office said. As the state continues to process mail-in ballots, the number, which is already higher than in 2020 and 2022, is expected to increase.
Problems with signatures are not only experienced by young people, but also by older people. They refer to “older voters who may sign their names in different ways throughout their lives, voters who recently married but have not updated their name on their voter registration and, yes, younger people who may not yet have a established firm.” Aguilar later noted in his press release.
“The fundamental problem here is that the signature is not a unique identifier. The secondary problem is that cursive is no longer taught in schools.” — says the founder of Vote America and Vote.Org Debra Clever.
In the US, many states have removed this skill from their curricula since 2010 as part of a widespread shift toward the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, leaving many young people with little or no cursive proficiency. and few opportunities to practice developing your unique skill. signature.
However, in recent years, several states, including California and Louisiana, have passed laws to restore this subject in schools, the publication consoles.
