Harris mentions democracy as the biggest national security threat.

[Valjean]

Voter ID is free (as opposed to other forms of ID). Would you have people pay to acquire ID to vote? Surely not.

The reality is that there aren't massive numbers of people who can't get Voter ID.
It's good to know that you don't support it. Make sure that those pushing voter reform know it.

The Challenge of Obtaining Voter Identification

• Nearly 500,000 eligible voters do not have access to a vehicle and live more than 10 miles from the nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. Many of them live in rural areas with dwindling public transportation options.
• More than 10 million eligible voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week.
• 1.2 million eligible black voters and 500,000 eligible Hispanic voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. People of color are more likely to be disenfranchised by these laws since they are less likely to have photo ID than the general population.
• Many ID-issuing offices maintain limited business hours. For example, the office in Sauk City, Wisconsin is open only on the fifth Wednesday of any month. But only four months in 2012 — February, May, August, and October — have five Wednesdays. In other states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas — many part-time ID-issuing offices are in the rural regions with the highest concentrations of people of color and people in poverty.

More than 1 million eligible voters in these states fall below the federal poverty line and live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. These voters may be particularly affected by the significant costs of the documentation required to obtain a photo ID. Birth certificates can cost between $8 and $25. Marriage licenses, required for married women whose birth certificates include a maiden name, can cost between $8 and $20. By comparison, the notorious poll tax — outlawed during the civil rights era — cost $10.64 in current dollars.

 

[Ponder This]

The Challenge of Obtaining Voter Identification

• Nearly 500,000 eligible voters do not have access to a vehicle and live more than 10 miles from the nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. Many of them live in rural areas with dwindling public transportation options.
• More than 10 million eligible voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week.
• 1.2 million eligible black voters and 500,000 eligible Hispanic voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. People of color are more likely to be disenfranchised by these laws since they are less likely to have photo ID than the general population.
• Many ID-issuing offices maintain limited business hours. For example, the office in Sauk City, Wisconsin is open only on the fifth Wednesday of any month. But only four months in 2012 — February, May, August, and October — have five Wednesdays. In other states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas — many part-time ID-issuing offices are in the rural regions with the highest concentrations of people of color and people in poverty.

More than 1 million eligible voters in these states fall below the federal poverty line and live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. These voters may be particularly affected by the significant costs of the documentation required to obtain a photo ID. Birth certificates can cost between $8 and $25. Marriage licenses, required for married women whose birth certificates include a maiden name, can cost between $8 and $20. By comparison, the notorious poll tax — outlawed during the civil rights era — cost $10.64 in current dollars.

Right... and yet you also complain if people can't use driver's licenses or student IDs to vote?

Forgive my skepticism, but produce an actual person who is not able to acquire a free voter ID and you will have an actual case. With so many people supposedly disadvantaged, it should be relatively easy to find such a person. Either the media can't find such a person or they don't care (it's false outrage).

 

[Kooky]

Right... and yet you also complain if people can't use driver's licenses or student IDs to vote?

Forgive my skepticism, but produce an actual person who is not able to acquire a free voter ID and you will have an actual case. With so many people supposedly disadvantaged, it should be relatively easy to find such a person. Either the media can't find such a person or they don't care (it's false outrage).

If producing ID is so important to fighting election fraud, then why do US states allow absentee voting at all?

 

[Kooky]

Maybe it would be best to go back to landowners or pay a poll tax like it used to be.

Having a vested interest in this country would be a top priority for making things better overall because there is more at stake due to such investments and get rid of the casual mindset of people devoid of investment and commitment.

Just a thought.

Would you risk getting fired from your job, just for a chance to vote in an election?

If not, then why do you think people who work during election day are less committed to their country than you are?

 

[Ponder This]

If producing ID is so important to fighting election fraud, then why do US states allow absentee voting at all?

Verifying your identity when you request an absentee ballot is normal. Sending out absentee ballots without verifying identity is a questionable way to conduct election.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Verifying your identity when you request an absentee ballot is normal. Sending out absentee ballots without verifying identity is a questionable way to conduct election.

Exactly.

You shouldn't even have a ballot if your not a citizen.

 

[Kooky]

Verifying your identity when you request an absentee ballot is normal. Sending out absentee ballots without verifying identity is a questionable way to conduct election.

Exactly.

You shouldn't even have a ballot if your not a citizen.

How do administrations verify a voter's identity when they're voting via mail?

How do they know that the person who mailed them the ballot was actually the person who cast the vote?

 

[anna.]

Maybe it would be best to go back to landowners or pay a poll tax like it used to be.

No. That would mean only the upper classes could vote. Talk about going backwards.

 

[anna.]

Verifying your identity when you request an absentee ballot is normal. Sending out absentee ballots without verifying identity is a questionable way to conduct election.

Entire states vote by mail ballot. Washington State being one of several. California the most recent.

Also, election day should be a national holiday.

 

[Twilight Hue]

How do administrations verify a voter's identity when they're voting via mail?

How do they know that the person who mailed them the ballot was actually the person who cast the vote?

Ask the Census Bureau.

If they know..... there's a way for the voting commission to know. Right?

 

[Kooky]

Ask the Census Bureau.

If they know..... there's a way for the voting commission to know. Right?

So you don't actually know whether absentee ballots have verified voter IDs.

Why does that not concern you?
I thought it was extremely important to correctly identify who voted where and when.
Is that not actually the case? If not, then what's the point of voter ID laws to begin with?

 

[Twilight Hue]

So you don't actually know whether absentee ballots have verified voter IDs.

Why does that not concern you?
I thought it was extremely important to correctly identify who voted where and when.
Is that not actually the case? If not, then what's the point of voter ID laws to begin with?

That's why you register first. Voter ID. All unregistered don't vote. No registration , no absentee ballot should the case require one.

It's as simple as that.

 

[Kooky]

That's why you register first. Voter ID. All unregistered don't vote. No registration , no absentee ballot should the case require one.

It's as simple as that.

But you don't know who voted for the registered name, do you?
Because you can't check the ID of mail-in ballots.

So it's not simple at all - no absentee ballot can be checked for a valid ID.

Why do you think physical voting without a valid ID carries the potential danger of election fraud, but mail-in ballots without valid ID do not?

 

[SkepticThinker]

Maybe it would be best to go back to landowners or pay a poll tax like it used to be.

Having a vested interest in this country would be a top priority for making things better overall because there is more at stake due to such investments and get rid of the casual mindset of people devoid of investment and commitment.

Just a thought.

Sounds like a terrible idea to me that would disenfranchise a great number of people.

 

[anna.]

But you don't know who voted for the registered name, do you?
Because you can't check the ID of mail-in ballots.

So it's not simple at all - no absentee ballot can be checked for a valid ID.

I'm all for voting by mail, but would point out that because the voter has to sign the ballot envelope, you can check validity by comparing that signature to the voter's DMV signature.

 

[Twilight Hue]

But you don't know who voted for the registered name, do you?
Because you can't check the ID of mail-in ballots.

So it's not simple at all - no absentee ballot can be checked for a valid ID.

Why do you think physical voting without a valid ID carries the potential danger of election fraud, but mail-in ballots without valid ID do not?

Guess that person might be pretty miffed if someone stole their ballot.

 

[anna.]

Guess that person might be pretty miffed if someone stole their ballot.

Because that's gonna happen on the order of magnitude needed to flip an election? Not possible.

 

[Kooky]

Guess that person might be pretty miffed if someone stole their ballot.

Can you answer my question at least this once?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Can you answer my question at least this once?

My answer is to put the name of the registered person on the absentee ballot before its even mailed out.

 

[Kooky]

My answer is to put the name of the registered person on the absentee ballot before its even mailed out.

But that doesn't provide identification, and doesn't prove that the vote is legit.

So would you be fine if voters just checked their name off a list at the ballot box without needing to show ID?
That would be about the same level of security required of absentee ballots.