Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Voter ID

Kansas looks like it's going to require photo ID's for voting by 2010. Just saw a story about several nuns unable to vote in Indiana primary yesterday because they didn't have ID.

I think these laws are a solution in search of a problem, which creates more problems. Seems like we should have laws that encourage voting, not discourage it. You'll apparently be able to cast a provisional ballot under the Kansas law, and then verify your residence and citizenship later if you don't have an official photo ID. But this creates too many hoops to jump through for a basic constitutional right.

Tell me why I'm wrong..

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are wrong because we need fewer people voting instead of more. We should have a test for voters similar to the test they give to immigrants for citizenship. It should determine whether or not people ought to even be involved in the process. If you can't pass the same test we ask new citizens to pass you shouldn't be voting. Studies show that increasing voter turn-out is not making a difference in the overall percentages that are seen as the end results in the election process. Therefore, it makes no sense to try to increase voter turnout since the statistical ratios will stay the same. It makes far more sense to have reasonable rational and properly educated voters who understand and care about the process. Providing an id as an eligibility requirement is a small portion of that. It should not be an issue at all to prove that you are who you say you are. There are already legal provisions to make the id's available for free to those who genuinely can't afford them. You have to ask though, if you can't afford an id, are you smart enough to pass the citizen test? That is probably the bigger issue.

Anonymous said...

You are right... it IS a constitutional right to vote... FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS! I'm all for having to prove my citizenship if it means not having an election decided by people who AREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! That is all.

Anonymous said...

You have to have ID for almost everything -- why not voting? Tell me what is so hard about having an ID? If your responsible enough to vote, your responsible enough to have ID right?

Anonymous said...

Actually, the Constitution never explicitly ensures the right to vote...

Anonymous said...

Everyone can get an ID so I don't see why there should be a problem in voting. It is NOT to run people away so they won't or can't vote it's to keep the process fair. I'll be very happy to show my ID.

Anonymous said...

Silly me.
I voted about 10 times before I realized I did not have to show an ID.
I just thought I would have to, so every time I voted, I gave them my voter's registration card and my Driver's License.

Now that I realize I don't have to, I might try to vote more than once.
With no ID required, how would anyone know?