"The Daily Show": Week of 10/27/14

[ganesh]

You can't limit what kind of ID is required to vote because everyone's vote (18+) is legally protected by the constitution. 

 

"The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age."

 

Any government entity does not have the authority to limit the scope of acceptable IDs in order for someone to vote. 

 

So, either any photo ID is valid, or none of them are required, to vote. 

Edited October 31, 2014 by ganesh

[Fremde Frau]

A university seems like a reasonable source of acceptable ID, although it might become problematic regarding private vs. state institutions. Not to mention the issue of people who don't have resources or opportunities to attend a university. I do find it absurd that some states allow gun permits to count as ID while simultaneously working to weaken the requirements for such permits. I meant to add: some other states will allow voters to use utility bills, bank statements, paycheck, university ID, etc. Anyway, I don't see anything inherently wrong with needing to prove citizenship and age to vote, since any election should ideally be a reflection of its citizens' and only its citizens' votes, but that assumes an equal playing field for everyone, instead of a country where the playing field is deliberately and now legally made as uneven as possible. The standard for ID, if required, should be a federal one that accounts for all socioeconomic realities.
 

Because the people it benefits are the ones writing and passing the laws?

Sigh. You're right; there is always that. Like Romney and his "I'll pay as many taxes as I'm required" while working to fix that system to his benefit.
 
Damn it, US.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Fremde Frau

[iMonrey]

 

Texas turning blue? Between district gerrymandering, voter restriction laws making it difficult for certain people to vote, and apathy among target Democrat voters, most of America isn't going to turn blue for a long time. And the right, with Citzens United and the corporate media behind it, will see to it the Republicans have an excellent shot at retaining power.

 

Agreed, and when they showed the pie chart with what percentage Latino voters would make up, I thought "well it won't make any difference because the Republicans in power will make sure none of them can vote."

[attica]

Anyway, I don't see anything inherently wrong with needing to prove citizenship and age to vote,

 

Part of the problem in these new Voter ID iterations is the requirement to produce the newly required IDs at the polling place, not just at registration. In my state, you just have to have your signature match what's on the rolls (or a good reason, like a broken arm, for them not to match) when you arrive at the polls. This of course is at best an inconvenience, at worst a complete impediment to the franchise.

[ABay]

I think I've always had to produce an ID when I show up at the polling place. CT requires ID, and I'm pretty sure the other 2 states I've lived and voted in also required one. Until the flap over "voter fraud" I wasn't aware some places don't require ID.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Until the flap over "voter fraud" I wasn't aware some places don't require ID.

 

 

Yep. I live in MD, which is a No ID Required State. I actually called again to confirm this the other day. All I need to do is answer two or three questions--like Date of Birth, Address, and I forget what the person at the Board of Elections told me. I was, well, shocked. I always bring my license with me anyway.

[ganesh]

I've never shown ID.

[Fremde Frau]

I've had to show ID in Georgia. I don't know if those are relatively new laws (since 1999, when I moved here from Japan) or not.

 

Maryland's system sounds great.

[maraleia]

I never have to show my ID and I live in IL.

As for the gerrymandering of those districts in Austin, I am incensed that this is allowed to take place.

[shok]

As for the gerrymandering of those districts in Austin, I am incensed that this is allowed to take place.

 

Hell, it happens all over America, not just in Austin. I'm too lazy to look the actual stats up but there are a great number of states that voted for Obama and are obviously majority Democratic but of their, e.g. 12 congresspeople, only 2 or 3 will be Democratic while 9 or 10 are Republicans. Moral of the story? Elections count, including midterms, and make sure you vote in your State elections for governor and state reps so you don't end up with Republican run state governments - they're the ones doing the gerrymandering.

[fastiller]

An interesting site: BallotPedia - State by State Voter ID Laws.

[Captanne]

Great page, fastiller.  I'm a native of Washington, DC and I notice we are not mentioned.  That is fine because, even though we pay federal income taxes, we are not a state.  AFAIK, we don't have any ID requirements.  They do have an address associated with my name and always ask me to verify it verbally, though.  

 

As in:

Volunteer:  "Is this your name?"  

Me:  "Uh huh."  

Volunteer:  "Is this your address?"  

Me:  "Uh huh."

Volunteer:  "Initial here, please."

Me:  "Okay."  (scribble)

Volunteer:  "Next in line!"

[Hanahope]

Hell, it happens all over America, not just in Austin. I'm too lazy to look the actual stats up but there are a great number of states that voted for Obama and are obviously majority Democratic but of their, e.g. 12 congresspeople, only 2 or 3 will be Democratic while 9 or 10 are Republicans.

 

That's exactly what happened in PA in 2012.  More votes were cast Democratic for Congresspersons, but more Republicans were actually elected because the Dems were gerrymandered into fewer districts.  It really dilutes one's voting power, moreso than the fear that a few illegals will fraudulently pretend to be a legally registered voter.