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North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill Monday requiring photo
identification at the polls and eliminating a slew of voting measures designed
to protect against voter disenfranchisement.
The governor, eschewing a more traditional signing ceremony, announced by
way of a YouTube video that he had signed House Bill 589.
The bill will require voters to show photo identification -- a driver's
license, passport, veteran's ID, tribal card -- beginning in the 2016 elections.
Student IDs are not an acceptable form of identification. The bill also reduces early voting by a
week, eliminates same-day registration, ends pre-registration for
16-and-17 year-olds and a student civics program, kills an annual
state-sponsored voter registration drive and lessens the amount of public
reporting required for so-called dark money groups, also known as
501(c)(4)s.
One of the silver linings of laws like this passing is that maybe Republican ownership of the legislation will slow the explosion of NY and MD transplants coming here.
Evidently, voter ID is free in TX, but I haven't heard about NC.
"Free" voter ID is absolutely useless to me, since it requires a birth certificate which is NOT free, \
Except in PA, which does have a provision for free voter ID where BC is not available for free. (PA natives can apparently get free BC (or at least verification) for voting, so the PA provision appears to mostly help PA residents born in other states.)
"Free" voter ID is absolutely useless to me, since it requires a birth certificate which is NOT free, \
Except in PA, which does have a provision for free voter ID where BC is not available for free. (PA natives can apparently get free BC (or at least verification) for voting, so the PA provision appears to mostly help PA residents born in other states.)
Interesting point. BC's are $5 in IL, but about $20 in TX, so I wonder if they though about that.
I don't think it's much of an issue though. Realistically, you need an ID before you can register to vote or do practically anything anyway. The only reason these threads come up is because people are getting riled up that southern states are implementing laws that northern states already have. <shrug>
When was the last time you heard about IL or IN getting bashed for voter ID laws?
Although, to be fair, the NC law cuts spending programs that probably didn't need to be cut.
Interesting point. BC's are $5 in IL, but about $20 in TX, so I wonder if they though about that.
I don't think it's much of an issue though. Realistically, you need an ID before you can register to vote or do practically anything anyway. The only reason these threads come up is because people are getting riled up that southern states are implementing laws that northern states already have. <shrug>
When was the last time you heard about IL or IN getting bashed for voter ID laws?
Although, to be fair, the NC law cuts spending programs that probably didn't need to be cut.
What I don't understand is why - in some states - you need to show a BC (or other proof of citizenship such as a passport) every freaking time you renew your DL or ID. Once you've produced a BC at initial application, why do you need it again and again?
It's not as if a BC can be revoked or invalidated.
BC costs $15 in NYC and they no longer issue a copy of the original, they give you something which might be considered a short form.
One more thing, AZ issues DL which is valid until your 65th birthday, unless suspended or revoked. That would solve a lot of voter ID problems.
What I don't understand is why - in some states - you need to show a BC (or other proof of citizenship such as a passport) every freaking time you renew your DL or ID. Once you've produced a BC at initial application, why do you need it again and again?
It's not as if a BC can be revoked or invalidated.
Most states just require you to present your old ID within 1 or 2 years of the expiration date to get a new one.
The standard I use for voter ID laws is, "Would I be able to get a voter ID for free"?
Why wouldn't you want to encourage ALL adult American citizens to have at least one of the following... a driver's license, passport, veteran's ID, tribal card or some sort of government issued photo id card???
And without having a birth certificate or social security card, they wouldn't be able to collect welfare, Section 8, food stamps or any other government aid programs. Or cash government checks.
And if they are not wanting to actively participating within "the system" then why should they have a vote?
And paying some small fee ($50 or less) for a government issued photo id card is really not all that much. I'm sure that most poor people always scrounge up enough money for their lottery tickets, cigarettes and alcohol. So I don't want to hear that these people can't afford to pay for a proper id card.
I think that laws like these are good and encourage people who don't have government issued id cards to get their lives together to get one.
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