Voter ID laws

[rheff78]

Hey, I think they need to be more stringent. I'm still all for having to take a literacy test before you vote.

 

[McBell]

Hey, I think they need to be more stringent. I'm still all for having to take a literacy test before you vote.

To what end?
It would be like here in Indiana to get a DL, if you cannot read the test, either because you do not know English OR you simply cannot read, some one will read it for you.

 

[rheff78]

You don't see a problem with that? If you don't have enough of an education to read, then should you really be voting or driving a car?

 

[Wandered Off]

I think literacy or other qualification requirements make for interesting discussions and debates, although I intended this thread to discuss ID laws in particular without regard to any skills.

 

[McBell]

You don't see a problem with that? If you don't have enough of an education to read, then should you really be voting or driving a car?

I stated no opinion in regards to agreeing with it or not.
I stated the fact that it would be irrelevant because someone would read it for them.

 

[Mathematician]

Voter identification should be payed for by the taxpayers. As someone said earlier in this thread, the poll tax still exists - silently. The poor are least likely to have a driver's license and passport.

 

[Fat Old Sun]

We can't expect people to actually show that they are eligible to vote in order to cast their ballot. That's just unamerican! Why, Richard J. Daly the great mayor of Chicago would never stand for such nonsense.

Next thing you know, they will be trying to stop all the part time Florida residents from voting absentee up north and voting in person down here in the same election.

 

[Booko]

Voter identification should be payed for by the taxpayers. As someone said earlier in this thread, the poll tax still exists - silently. The poor are least likely to have a driver's license and passport.

And adequate transportation, and the ability to shake themselves off family responsibilities, and probably a few other things I forgot.

We have a week's advance voting in GA, which I do think has helped with some of that at least.

 

[Booko]

We can't expect people to actually show that they are eligible to vote in order to cast their ballot. That's just unamerican! Why, Richard J. Daly the great mayor of Chicago would never stand for such nonsense.

Next thing you know, they will be trying to stop all the part time Florida residents from voting absentee up north and voting in person down here in the same election.

Exactly why I don't have an issue with requiring a picture ID. My only concern is that no one be prevented from voting because they are unable to obtain one.

There's still the hole that anyone can vote absentee w/o showing ID.

Oh, and of course the homeless have no say whatsoever in our society. If you don't have an address you can't vote. Can't get welfare checks either. I guess if you are unlucky enough to find yourself homeless, you just don't count on any level.

 

[Wandered Off]

Oh, and of course the homeless have no say whatsoever in our society. If you don't have an address you can't vote.

I like Indiana's approach to this:

If you have a non-traditional residence, you still have the right to register and vote. Simply draw a map on the voter registration applicatin indicating where you live (where you usually spend the night) and list a mailing address within your county that can be used to mail your notification that you are registered.

 

[Booko]

Indiana's approach seems to work quite well. I've never understood why a homeless person couldn't use the local soup kitchen or Salvation Army as their official address, as long as the place doesn't object to being a mail drop.

 

[Wandered Off]

That's just too sensible to ever work!

 

[Booko]

That's just too sensible to ever work!

Yes, well, I have noticed that "sensible" and "government" rarely coincide.

 

[McBell]

I like this:

The average visit time at this license branch in February 2008 was 8 minutes.
BMV: Dekalb County
​

Especially since it is MY local branch

 

[Booko]

OMG you really had me confused, Mestemia.

I live in DeKalb County...except it's in GA.

 

[McBell]

OMG you really had me confused, Mestemia.

I live in DeKalb County...except it's in GA.

Sorry about that.
If makes you feel any better, i have only been in Dekalb County IN for about six weeks now.

 

[Joe_Stocks]

Wasn't there just a primary in Indiana with this Voter ID law in place?

Where were the stories of millions of disenfranchised voters in Indiana?

 

[Mathematician]

The corporate media rarely talks about the plights of the poor.

 

[McBell]

Wasn't there just a primary in Indiana with this Voter ID law in place?

Where were the stories of millions of disenfranchised voters in Indiana?

Got me.
But there was only a reported 6% rise in voter turn out in my county bringing the total of registered voters who actually voted to 35%.

Sad really

 

[Joe_Stocks]

Hi Gene,

The corporate media rarely talks about the plights of the poor.

No offense, but this is a lame copout. The notion that voter ID laws disenfranshise the poor and minorities is a talking point of the leadership of the Democratic Party. Now, we have an election where voter ID is in place and democrats are suddenly quiet on the issue. You mean to tell me that the party in control of Congress can't find evidence that voter ID disenfranchises poor people and minorities?