For as long as I can remember, conservatives have believed that small government, one closer to the people, was best. At least, that used to be the way conservatives approached governance; not so much anymore. Even back in the early days of our country, the Framers of our Constitution struck a balance between the larger powers of a centralized national bureaucracy and localized state government closer to the people. It was an elegant “diffusing of power” that slightly ebbs and flows even today, depending on who is in power and on specific Supreme Court rulings. However, there are divisions of responsibilities that are clearly spelled out in our Constitution, and one of those is who is charged with overseeing elections. Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution states, “the times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof.” Historically, Congress has played a role in facilitating access for voters through statute and constitutional amendments. The 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th Constitutional Amendments are just some examples of this. Election policy, not election administration. But let’s try an
