is it legal

[mdram]

for the ffl to offer a voter registration form to customers?

just curious

 

[dogbone]

From the Maryland Board of Elections web site:

http://www.elections.state.md.us/voter_registration/application.html

If you plan to register anyone other than you or your family it is recommended that you become a Voter Registration Volunteer. Please contact the State Board of Elections for details.

The process of becoming a trained and certified Voter Registration Volunteer (VRV) is quick and painless, even quicker than buying an unregulated firearm in the PRM.

 

[andimorony]

I *believe* anyone can offer a form to anyone. What you cannot do is say "Join this party" or "Check this box for party affiliation".

However, I think you can put stacks of them by the register and let the people fill them out, seal them and you can mail them in, if you'd like.

If someone's serious about this, let me know.

 

[andimorony]

From the Maryland Board of Elections web site:

http://www.elections.state.md.us/voter_registration/application.html



The process of becoming a trained and certified Voter Registration Volunteer (VRV) is quick and painless, even quicker than buying an unregulated firearm in the PRM.

The "class" on this is like 10 minutes long. Seriously.

 

[mdram]

i was just curious
i figured if acorn could do it anyone could............

 

[ianmcall]

early release firearms for people that register to vote... I like it!

 

[dogbone]

i was just curious
i figured if acorn could do it anyone could............

Having FFLs participate in a voter drive has been discussed. General consensus was they have enough paperwork to deal with already and it might work better to have a few volunteers around the state set up a voter registration table at gun shops.

If this sounds like a project you could help with, by all means feel free to jump in!

http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=115401

 

[mdram]

i have emailed my board to see what i need to do

thanks

 

[Half-cocked]

If I was a (store front) FFL, I would have a policy:

NO gun sales to anyone without a valid voter registration card.

Party affiliation would not matter - but if you can't take enough interest in your citizenship to at least register to vote, you don't deserve the rights that come with that citizenship.

...and to answer the OP, why would it be illegal?

 

[iH8DemLibz]

The FFL's I spoke with about this won't do it because, believe it or not, it brings politics into the store.

They are there to sell a product. To any and everyone. Period.

Many FFL's wont even allow Election material in the their shops.

No sense in pissing off half of your customer base.

Makes sense to me.

 

[ShafTed]

I actually became a VRV (Voter Registration Volunteer) and sat in my LGS (with owner's permission, of course) last month, in the thread Dogbone started (link above). So some shops are willing to allow it. In my case, everyone who came in that day was already registered.

 

[Navyblue]

I don't see this as an issue. I feel it's everyone's civic duty to vote. Period

 

[TrevorWills]

If I was a (store front) FFL, I would have a policy:

NO gun sales to anyone without a valid voter registration card.

Party affiliation would not matter - but if you can't take enough interest in your citizenship to at least register to vote, you don't deserve the rights that come with that citizenship.

...and to answer the OP, why would it be illegal?

 

[Blake_7.62]

The FFL's I spoke with about this won't do it because, believe it or not, it brings politics into the store.

They are there to sell a product. To any and everyone. Period.

Many FFL's wont even allow Election material in the their shops.

No sense in pissing off half of your customer base.

Makes sense to me.

Other than DINO's, I seriously doubt half of the customer base is Dems.

 

[DavidMS]

Gun ownership numbers

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/self-reported-gun-ownership-highest-1993.aspx

Self reported ownership is 40% for Democrats/Dem Leaners. 55% for Republicans / Republican Leaners. Keep in mind, checking a box on a form is a weak form of membership.

I don't think that anyone would object to voter registration so long as its non-partizan. There was a case in the last few years where voter registration forms for people affiliating with Democrats were tossed. I think it was in Virgina.

 

[fightinbluhen51]

The FFL's I spoke with about this won't do it because, believe it or not, it brings politics into the store.

They are there to sell a product. To any and everyone. Period.

Many FFL's wont even allow Election material in the their shops.

No sense in pissing off half of your customer base.

Makes sense to me.

Yet, 1/2 your customer base is the one that will turn around and stab you in the back for political gain.

Some folks forget that politics is dirtier than anything else in the world.

 

[K31]

Since the MVA is required to ask everyone if they want to register to vote including non-citizens of this country, why would it be illegal?

 

[hvymax]

Since the MVA is required to ask everyone if they want to register to vote including non-citizens of this country, why would it be illegal?

Non citizens and minors getting their learners. Who says 16yr olds can't vote?

 

[Robert1955]

The FFL's I spoke with about this won't do it because, believe it or not, it brings politics into the store.

They are there to sell a product. To any and everyone. Period.

Many FFL's wont even allow Election material in the their shops.

No sense in pissing off half of your customer base.

Makes sense to me.

Then those FFL's deserve whatever happens in the way of firearms laws that could put them out of business. If someone is coming into a shop to make a purchase then they know the rights afforded to them, and would/should vote to protect them, their political party has no bearing on it.

 

[MDFF2008]

You should be able to do it. What you can't do is tell them to register a specific way.

I understand the idea of no politics in the gun shop, I think it has some good perks. For example, a liberal curious about guns might be turned off if they walk into a shop and see a bunch of "**** the gays" signs.