Voter ID laws

[SuperScout]

Officials in Missouri's two largest cities filed a lawsuit Monday to block a new state law requiring voters to show photo identification. Under the law, voters starting this November will need a photo ID issued by either the state of federal government, such as a driver's license, to cast a regular ballot. Those lacking IDs can cast provisional ballots, which would count if their signatures matched those on file with election authorities.

Republican Gov. Matt Blunt has praised the new law as a way to build public trust in elections. [Considering the voter fraud that has happened in Misssouri, not a bad idea!] But the Democrat leaders in St. Louis and Kansas City who sued say the law violates a state constitutional provision against imposing costs on local governments without providing state funding. Their lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction blocking the law from being enforced and class-action status.

"Our overall concern is that the new law is going to leave people out who want to vote, who deserve to vote and who are qualified to vote," said Anthony Rothert, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri, whose group announced the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says implementing the new law would cost the Kansas City area's Jackson County alone $470,000 to mail notices to voters and add the extra equipment and Election Day staffing and training.

Republican state Sen. Delbert Scott, who sponsored the legislation, said election officials already send out voter cards and the law provides for free photo IDs that voters can obtain before Election Day. "We anticipated a lawsuit. I think they're struggling for an issue," he said.

A federal judge last week blocked the state of Georgia from enforcing its new voter ID law this year. U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy said the Georgia photo ID requirement discriminated against people who don't have driver's licenses, passports or other government identification. [So, just how many people don't have a photo ID? Shouldn't one also be required for application for food stamps or every other form of welfare support? How do people cash their Social Security checks, and other checks sent by the government, without photo ID?]

[39mto39g]

The US government could kill several birds with one stone hear.
A tamper proff SS card with photo ID, This card could also act as any kind of ID required. But then how would Mexicans get medical care, or financal aid, or housing, or Schooling. I guess we could go to Mexico and issue United States SS cards for everyone. Whooooo, Whooo. Lets go to Texas.

[SuperScout]

I have long favored and advocated a national ID card that would serve several useful purposes as you mentioned, plus totally eliminate voter fraud, expedite non-citizen identification and deportation.

[Boats]

Next they will insert a chip under the skin to have scanned before voting.

[MarineAO]

Well it may eliminate the dead vote. As far as it goes I think that voting on line should be done away with also!

[SuperScout]

Can you vote online in your area? What are your specific objections to the process? It seems that if we can buy anytig online with a credit card, and the site is secure, than the technology must be there to enable people to vote, and vote just one time online. Just a thought....

We sure seem to have a lot of dead folks voteing regularly and often(reckon dead folks can't be expected to remember they've already voted a couple of times)in Memphis. Suspect they'd vote against such a measure. Several times.

[Seascamp]

?I think they're struggling for an issue?

Of course, the real need is never the stated need. If the real need was stated they would be in much deep guano. I just wonder how many cities in the US have allowed to vote to become a useless, watered down, phony exercise in ?Ra ra, we done it again?.
I?m not sure why L.A and San Francisco even bother going through the drill anymore. Seems to me it would be more efficient to hire a psychic guru that congers up some stats and digits and makes a ?surprise? announcement at the pre-planned election celebration shindig.
Then to much cheering and merrymaking, the psychic guru could get gloriously stoned whilst accepting congratulations on his wondrous talents.

Scamp

[Robert Ryan]

Don't need no ID to prove I'm an American or to vote. Served 22 years in the Armed Forces, and have a retired Military ID Card that is proof enough of who I am. Also have a VA Card, and CA Drivers License all with photos of my ugly mug on them.

[SuperScout]

That's the whole key to the issue - a PHOTO ID card. Seems some political party objects, thereby enabling voter fraud to continue, to be exacerbated, and to ensure their phony election victories.