Official Expects Voter ID Requirement to Complicate Fall Election

CLEVELAND -- Cuyahoga County's top elections official anticipates that a law requiring voters to show ID before being allowed to cast a ballot will cause problems in November. Elections director Michael Vu says today that Democrats and Republicans will descend on elections boards on election night.

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they get it. Yes, this law sucks, however, since it is the law, it should be repeated to public on daily base.

polling site to EVERY voter. These cards are acceptable ID. That should help.

it just hasn't been a problem to show an ID. Most here thought about it and decided it was a fair idea.

The county I live in has very little population change. People are born, most stay until they die. There are not many people moving in. Still, though most have known each other since they were born, there was really no hostility to the need to provide ID to vote since it became mandatory here a couple years ago.

:shrug: People just need to be aware. Yes, we need to get the info out to our base. But it shouldn't be too hard to comply.

and be lax on it in Republican ones.

They inforced it here.

We need more DEMS actively involved with elections at their local level. Oversight is VERY IMPORTANT.

In MO, the IDs cost $35. And you need a birth certificate to get the ID and that costs money too.

So it's a poll tax.

If your state is doing otherwise, time to get on your state legislature's ass to change things. Some lawyers might work to help challenge any required paid ID on the grounds that it was a poll tax

but dumb ass blunt and co. didn't allocate any $ for this program. It's supposed to cost between $4-22 million. And no one can tell me if people will need a birth certificate to get the ID, and those do cost $15.

What's almost as bad is that all the of fee offices, which will issue the IDs, are repub appointees of the gov. I'm sure we can count on them to lend a helping hand :sarcasm:

I talked with our county clerk about this on Tuesday, and she said her office hadn't heard much of anything about implementing this bill. Our repub rep did tell her that he isn't sure where the $ will come from. Unfunded mandate, anyone?

and also to renew your driver's license. And it has to be an official state issued birth certificate. And those cost money.

So even if baby blunt finds the funds to provide these IDs, the voters have to pay for their birth certificate.

It's a poll tax. And it is WRONG.

It isn't $35, though. Having the BC for license renewal is a lame Homeland Security thing.

The way they are keeping the Voter ID 'free' is by saying that one doesn't *have* to have an official birth certificate, they can be issued a provisional ballot with other acceptable ID. That's pretty bogus.

The way our rep was talking with the county clerk, it sounds like they may actually scrap the plan.

And that is a great big hmmmmm.

The price the ACLU lawyer told me is $35. I believe I read that in the paper as well.

everything I found said it was free.

From http://www.senate.mo.gov/06info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=83706

" The act allows for issuing non-driver's licenses with photographic images to fulfill the identification requirement. The state of Missouri shall pay all the legally required fees for applicants for non-driver's licenses. Elderly and disabled persons shall be issued a non-driver's license through a mobile processing system operated by the Department of Revenue at no cost. The mobile processing system shall operate at convalescent, nursing, and boarding homes and other public places accessible to and frequented by the elderly and disabled. At least 9 units will remain on hand for dispatch. (These provisions go into effect upon the Governor's signature of this act. Section 115.427.7)"

and from http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/opinion/14684411.htm

"The agency will have to absorb the costs of getting voters the proper identification — it is free to the voter. This lack of funding could threaten the voter identification effort.

To get a non-driver’s photo identification, voters can go to a driver’s license fee office and request a free one for voting. Normally, non-drivers’ IDs cost $11."

The ACLU lawyer is mistaken. That is why people are scratching their heads so much--if they were $35, then the cost to the state wouldn't be a problem. The gov hasn't stated where the $ will be coming from.

Also, the birth certificates are NOT free. You need one of those to get an ID.

I agree that this is an outrageous bill, and have already said so. I'm just pointing out that they aren't $35.

If the postcard from the election board is enough, then I'd like to know how often they mail those. I received mine shortly before the May primary and, though I'm not sure, I don't think they'll be mailing another one before Nov. How many people are going to hang on to them that long?

If photo IDs are required as I previously read, I'd like to know which kind(s) are acceptable. State-issued IDs (non-driving) are not free.

for the past five years!! No problems!! A drivers licence is sufficient. If you don't have a Drivers lic. you can go to the DMV and get a photo ID for a nominal fee. If you show up without ID, as long as you are a registered voter, you can still vote by signing a waiver!!! I don't understand why everyone is getting so hyped about this!! Even mother's, (or anyone on welfare for that matter) get a photo ID from the State, which can also be used. I really can't understand why everyone is getting their britches in such a wad over this?? I'd rather be sure that the person voting is who they say they are, and not some paid "shill" trying to stuff the ballot box. I've worked the polls in my town and we are outnumbered 2 to 1 by the repubs. Everyone goes through the same procedure.

And yeah, working at the poll is a GREAT way to ensure people are treated fairly.

if they don't. I believe they are supposed to.

I didn't have to pay of the id, it came in the mail along with notification of when the election (our primary) was, where my polling place is and the hours for voting.

The voter ID cards do not have photos on them.

and get some sensible laws passed

Ask the ACLU for advice on addressing the problems.

I am not denying there is a consorted effort in many states to limit/control voter turn-out. But where it happens, it has to be addressed at state level. Get a movement going to challange draconian laws.

Meanwhile, I will not flinch from the position that a person should be able to provide proof of who they are when they go to vote.

No. But disenfranchising voters IS a problem.

Want some of my fresh salad greens? I look to share with friends ;)

The obvious things about government is how much they lie about how important things are. The funny thing that seems to me is the things they say are important are actually important things to the politicians and mostly not too much of anyone else. P.O.S. government run via fraud

My mother for example. She is 80 years old. She no longer drives and has no photo ID. So making her go buy a photo ID so she can vote is a poll tax.

The new homeland security regs require a birth certificate to get a photo ID. It was common when my mom was born for babies to be born at home and birth certificates were not issued. So my mom does not have a birth certificate. She is up a creek. She cannot vote. And my mother has never missed voting in any election since 1946.

There are lots of people who live in urban areas in MO who use public transportation and have no drivers license.

Now do you see why we are getting our britches in an uproar over this? It is a friggin poll tax and that is illegal.

The other thing that really pisses me off about this is there is a genuine election fraud problem in this country, but it doesn't involve voters without ID. It is the friggin machines! If our elected leaders want clean elections, it seems like they would take care of THAT instead of creating a problem to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

I'll stick with people having to offer some proof they are who they say they are when they go to vote.

Inquire around. Seems likely there are IDs people can get at little or no cost. And find out just what all is acceptable for polling place ID. Some places will take a photo ID OR two other IDs. Some will accept canceled mail delivered to the person.

There are ways to get IDs which are acceptable. If your state doesn't allow for that, it is a local issue which the DEM party should address. New people in the state house would be a good start toward more rational rules.

And you are right about the machines and fraud. One issue is not exclusive over the other. But there have been times in our history when people did go to the polls only to be turned away because 'they had already voted.'

Everywhere I have ever lived sent voter ID cards along with polling place info. Three states, 7 counties and way before 9-11 and new rules. If it isn't done in your state, sounds like a good issue to address.

Oh, and as soon as women got the franchise, my ol granny had Grandpa take her down to sign up as a polling place judge. She KNEW there would be men at polls who would try all sorts of means to prevent women from exercising their franchise and she was gonna make damned sure that at ONE polling place, she would be there to challenge such efforts.

She worked EVERY election day from that one on. She was in the hospital back in 1960, at primary time. She checked herself out and had Grandpa drive her 'to work' at the precinct she worked at. He did. She went about the start of setting up for the voting... and fell over. She was dead by the time Grandpa got there after the call to "come quick". She died with her boots on, doing what was important to her - assuring, by her direct presence and involvement, that no one would be prevented from lawfully voting.

She's buried in St. Joesph, MO. If it is hard to vote there now, perhaps more people need to follow her example and get/stay directly involved with how the rules are made and how they are executed.

And I don't care if those IDs cost a penny, charging for an ID to vote is a poll tax. Period. And poll taxes are illegal.

Here is how we have handled voting for as long as I can remember here (I live in KS, but it was the same procedure in MO) When I go to vote, I give them my name, I sign a printout next to where my name is listed and I vote. So I am the only one with my name and address in my precinct who can vote. And even in a metropolitan area that straddles two state lines and contains hundreds (maybe thousands) of precincts, there is not a problem with voter fraud. No one has ever shown up to vote claiming they are me (well except me of course).

This new voter ID law disenfranchises voters. The ACLU is claiming 20,000 MO voters have no picture ID. So I certainly hope they can have this law thrown out ASAP. My mother is upset that she can't vote. That is way wrong. And she is not alone.

For instance, from what I read, the law isn't very clear about WHAT types of ID will be accepted. Hackwell will wait until a couple of weeks before the election then announce that ONLY state-issued photo IDs will be allowed. The ACLU will take him to court and his interpretation may be struck down or maybe not, but by then we're a few days away from election day and there's no time to get the word out nor any time for people without state IDs (not everyone drives) to get one.

I'm sure there is other language in the law equally vague and he will use them all, one by one, to cause as much mass confusion as possible. He did it in '04 and he'll do it again in Nov.

This is NOT about verifying a voter's identity. It's about putting as many roadblocks as possible between voters and the voting booth.

And anyone should be able to see that.

...and, as I posted above, no photo ID. I'm thinking of people living in nursing homes, etc. who get no utility bills, as is the case with her. She has voted in almost ever election for as long as I can recall. Just getting her out of the house is a difficult task because she's nearly blind and unsure of herself out in the world, but she insists on voting. This is just one more hassle for her to deal with. Why don't the powers that be attack the corrupt voting machines instead of the people who've voted forever and want to continue doing so without having to jump thru hoops?

Talk about compassionate conservatism! Yeah, right.

I wonder what they'll do to ensure that absentee votes are sent by a real voter.

For my mom, it'll be a bother to get an ID. She doesn't have a driver's license or any other kind of ID and utility bills, etc. don't come to her in her name. She's 90.

The U.N. should be involved, maybe the EU. U.S. elections are too important to the world to let them be stolen year after year.

They even filed a report.

For all the good it did.

yer latino, black or live in predominately democratic area.