Voter ID Question

[chrisrenrut]

Also, to be employed by a company (at least in Texas) you have to provide ID that is similar. I usually show my passport on the first day of a job but you can also use a SS card or birth certificate along with a government ID.

You also need one to get a government issued Drivers License or ID. So if someone has a valid Real ID DL or ID, should we make them present a birth certificate again to vote?

[Moliere]

You also need one to get a government issued Drivers License or ID. So if someone has a valid Real ID DL or ID, should we make them present a birth certificate again to vote?

They wouldn’t need a BC to vote, they only need it to register to vote. There’s a big difference between the two. Also, you can get a DL as a non citizen, right?

[myboynoah]

I don't care much either way, but what problem, of material significance, would a voter i.d. requirement solve?

Apparently undocumented immigrants have been flooding the ballot boxes and it needs to be stopped.

[LVAllen]

Then they should probably get to work and start fixing the issue if they want to vote.

Being poor is not a reason to deny someone the right to vote. By what right does the government have to make it more difficult?

That's the issue. Voting is something we have a fundamental right to do. It is the defining characteristic of a democracy. If someone demands ID from someone whose only crime is working a printing press, or standing on a street corner with a sign, or praying, the appropriate response is "Fuck off." I feel the same about voting.

I am willing to accept mandatory voter ID on the same day we declare election day a mandatory paid holiday, with mandatory participation. Meanwhile, my state has online voting, and it's available to the elderly, the disabled, the military, and natives living on reservation land. I'd be in favor of expanding that to cover everyone.

[frank ryan]

He wasn’t a minor. He was 18. It was super simple and easy. If you don’t have an ID I’m sure it would be tougher, but let’s don’t pretend that getting a BC is some booby-trapped process that only few can navigate.

That's what I'm referencing, is not having and ID.

[Northwestcoug]

I have come full circle on this. One reason to implement photo id for voting is it takes one big element of doubt off the table for a lot of people. Seems like it should be fairly easy to implement.

Also, it has overwhelming public support:

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So goodbye to voting by mail then?

[Shaka]

Being poor is not a reason to deny someone the right to vote. By what right does the government have to make it more difficult?

That's the issue. Voting is something we have a fundamental right to do. It is the defining characteristic of a democracy. If someone demands ID from someone whose only crime is working a printing press, or standing on a street corner with a sign, or praying, the appropriate response is "Fuck off." I feel the same about voting.

I am willing to accept mandatory voter ID on the same day we declare election day a mandatory paid holiday, with mandatory participation. Meanwhile, my state has online voting, and it's available to the elderly, the disabled, the military, and natives living on reservation land. I'd be in favor of expanding that to cover everyone.

We have the fundamental right to do a lot of things. However, many of those rights require ID. Poor people can get ID's. If they can't figure it out, then maybe they aren't worthy of having the vote.

I'd rather have election integrity.

[dabrockster]

Might have to do with him being a minor?, but if you don't have an ID and you need a replacement BC, it can be quite cumbersome.

No it’s not. I order a copy of mine by calling the county of birth and they mailed it to me. Took about 3-weeks to arrive.

Homeless population who have no ID, need those things in order to access services. Many organizations work to obtain these items so they can show proof of residency and birth to obtain Medicaid services.

[LVAllen]

No it’s not. I order a copy of mine by calling the county of birth and they mailed it to me. Took about 3-weeks to arrive.

Homeless population who have no ID, need those things in order to access services. Many organizations work to obtain these items so they can show proof of residency and birth to obtain Medicaid services.

I can't speak for all states, but many do require ID to order the BC. My state of birth requires ID to get a birth certificate. My kids' states require ID. Vitalchex requires ID. They restrict who can access the BC to people who are on the certificate.

It's devastating when a city does homeless sweeps and throws out all the belongings when those belongings include both the person's ID and BC. Once medicaid services have been provided, sometimes the Medicaid card will suffice as ID for various purposes, but not for all.

[dabrockster]

I can't speak for all states, but many do require ID to order the BC. My state of birth requires ID to get a birth certificate. My kids' states require ID. Vitalchex requires ID. They restrict who can access the BC to people who are on the certificate.

It's devastating when a city does homeless sweeps and throws out all the belongings when those belongings include both the person's ID and BC. Once medicaid services have been provided, sometimes the Medicaid card will suffice as ID for various purposes, but not for all.

Going to share a personal story from this past November.

I tend to find a homeless guy that I help daily over the years. I tend to be selective as you can see the ones who have substance abuse issues and any help only perpetuates the problem (Especially if you give money). I bring an extra "Protein Shake" that I donate to a homeless person every morning. Last spring, I found "Willie". A 30-someting black man who was very reserved, respectful and did not have any mental health issues (From what I could see at first). He became my main guy I gave my extra shake to every morning. Over months and small chats, I began to learn more about his reason for being homeless. He is from Jackson, Mississippi, came to Columbus, Ohio to visit his sister. He stayed there with her and her boyfriend. They abused drugs and he did as well. His sister and boyfriend found out he is transgender and abused and tormented him. Over time the abuse from the boyfriend was too much and he left. Ended up on the streets and his sister threw away all of his belongings before there could be any reconciliation or when he returned a few days later. She essentially kicked him out and left him with nothing. Over that summer, he would find creative ways to gather items to make his own. He had no blankets or pillows but a tarp. So I gave him several blankets, pillows and my Marmot Sleeping bag in preparation for winter which are unforgiving here. He spoke about being bullied by other homeless people and how he had often been beat up and lost some of his items due to this. He has to hide his belongings and those items I gave him as they are coveted by these homeless people. After getting to know more about him and how he has family in Jackson, I decided to to get him a bus pass home (Or at least as close to Jackson as I could). It took me several weeks to get him situated and prepared both mentally and his belongings he had accumulated over time. Letting him know I bought his ticket home was emotional to watch him breakdown. He had no BC or ID, but the great thing about Greyhound buses. They don't check and if you have a ticket. You are good. The last week, we reduced his cart enough for two backpacks that I gave him which included his docs that he had from the homeless shelter who was working towards his ID. I knew the vultures were looking to prey on him as I got him a pre-paid phone and set it up for him and these guys started gawking. I ended up keeping his ticket and phone until the day of and when I drove him. We packed his bag, discarded the rest and I drove him to the greyhound bus stop and watched him pull away. I think about him and hope he is back home with his brother and no longer homeless.

In my 26 years of working in downtown Columbus, there are those who need help and those who do not want any help. I try to make a difference and find the ones who are looking for help. Both need addressed in ways that are beneficial to them. I have seen guys placed in Permanent Supportive Housing to voluntarily leave to return to the streets. It is a boulder that is hard to push.. The sweeping of encampments are terrible and sadly, we look at these people as subhuman with little care for them. Out of sight, out of mind. My feelings for the homeless began due to my work on policies for homelessness at the state. Did a "Point in Time" (https://www.csb.org/how-we-do-it/point-in-time-count/) count for the state where volunteers go out at midnight in the middle of winter to count the homeless in these encampments. The data is used for out Balance of State to determine the number of homeless are in the state for funding purposes. A very impactful experience..

[Moliere]

That's what I'm referencing, is not having and ID.

Very few, and I mean very very few, can’t get an ID. Most of those people are homeless. I don’t think we should structure a system that is used by $200million people for a group of people that is probably 0.001% of that population.

[frank ryan]

I've worked the homeless population at different stages of my career. There are special programs that allow them to get verification letters instead of other IDs that can allow them to get bcs. It's still a hassle.
But for other people it's not easy to obtain without an ID. I can see that hassle shredding people off the voting roles even if they belong there. That can mean elderly shut ins and disabled folks.

[frank ryan]

Very few, and I mean very very few, can’t get an ID. Most of those people are homeless. I don’t think we should structure a system that is used by $200million people for a group of people that is probably 0.001% of that population.

I don't mean never get an ID, I mean contend with a massive headache that could cause problems with this voter ID stuff and proving citizenship.

[Moliere]

I've worked the homeless population at different stages of my career. There are special programs that allow them to get verification letters instead of other IDs that can allow them to get bcs. It's still a hassle.
But for other people it's not easy to obtain without an ID. I can see that hassle shredding people off the voting roles even if they belong there. That can mean elderly shut ins and disabled folks.

You only have to prove citizenship once, an then you are on the voter rolls forever unless you move. The elderly and shutinsare the least likely to move so again, I think this concern is very immaterial.

Thr whole “but getting an ID or BC is administratively difficult” doesn’t move the needle for me since I have kids living in different states that have gotten both with very little effort. It’s a bogeyman argument of the left that doesn’t hold water in the real world.

[myboynoah]

Isn't this a state issue? Is this federal overreach? Why involve the federal government in local state administration of elections? And does it pass constitutional muster?