http://www.twincities.com/2018/08/12/st-paul-now-requires-landlords-to-provide-voter-registration-to-tenants/
It doesn't seem like a bad thing to do, but it is the type of thing that just
begs the question of why.
1- What is it about renters that we believe they are not interested or capable
to find this information on their own? Are homeowners more capable? Why not
include realtors to provide voter registration information to new home buyers
in St Paul?
2- Are people not voting because they're not registered? Because they don't
care? Because they're uninformed? Does the simple act of offering voter
information to a person encourage community engagement and an eagerness to be
an informed citizen?
My own experience among my peers suggest people are engaged, informed if they
have time and they aren't if they prioritize other things, regardless of
socioeconomic status, renter or owner. We could say that this ordinance is just
a "why not, what does it hurt?" But I am just curious of other opinions- is
there evidence out there to support this sort of ordinance?