On June 23, Gov. Beverly Perdue vetoed House Bill 351, a bill that would require voters to show a government issued photo ID each time they go to vote. I fully support the governor's veto of this bill and I want to thank her for standing up for voters in North Carolina.
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Comments
We do not need a photo ID to
We do not need a photo ID to vote! In the 2008 election ACORN reps filled out voter cards for Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters. Any person working the polls who does not recognize Mickey should not be allowed to work the polls!!!!!!! Any person who does not recognize Mickey on site is not a true American! Please tell your representative that Mickey does not need to show a photo ID. What a stupid law. And no photo ID on drivers licenses. The Highway Patrol should know us on sight. And the bank should not ask for a photo ID. It is an invasion of privacy. Long live Mickey Mouse. And Minnie too!
ID cards
HOW MUCH MONEY IS THIS GOING TO COST NORTH CAROLINA?
Aren't we in the middle of a Recession. Aren't we trying to reduce spending right now?
I don't think Voter Fraud is an issue in NC.
I also think we should figure out a way to Vote ONLINE!!!
Let's also make voting day a national holiday. Get people off work so that they can go to vote together. Saturday vote would work too...
it is harmful
it is harmful if you do not believ in fair elections
Free IDs...free to them not to me
The Voter Photo ID bill is definitely not the most potential damaging voting bill that has been brought to the table this session. My issue is not solely with the demographics that will be affected by the voter photo id bill, it is with the fact that the process of voting is trying to be completely overridden, and this is just not a tactic of the NC GOP, but this is happening in legislatures that turned to GOP majority in the 2010 election cycle across the country (I am not a registered Democrat, I just notice political trends). Bills have also been introduced to shorten the early voting period, end Sunday voting, end one stop voting, end pre-registration for teens....(the list continues)
I agree that a photo id requirement could have potential benefits...however I believe the legislature is going about it for the wrong reasons (there is not widespread voter fraud...or much of any actually). Just come out and say your motives and stop putting up facades. Obama and Perdue won North Carolina in 2008 with early voting (so why not shorten the early voting period), and their (the Democratic) voting base is the base most affected by the photo id bill and the other voting bills being discussed.
People state these ID's are free, why don't they just go get them. Yes they are free to them, but they aren't free to me. With the issues that came from the budget....funding free ids four hundreds of thousands of voters is not at the top of my priority list not to mention that this this program to get the equipment, train the workers on proper usage of the equipment and the actual ids is completely underfunded.
Voter ID
This is not about voter ID. This is really about the two new congressional districts added to North Carolina by the 2010 census. We have present congressional districts gerrymandered by a federal judge in the name of equal representation. Voter ID won't change that, but the redrawing of congressional districts might. It's called smoke and mirrors. Scare the people about Voter ID referring to it as if it were a Jim Crow Poll Tax is a way of concentrating the interest on that redrawing to be in the favor of one party. It is not Voter ID that will change the demographics.
Voter ID
It's FREE! 80% of persons in North Carolina are in favor of Voter ID. This is not Republican vs Democratic. This is real world.
This is nuts
Please explain how it is racist to require an ID. As someone mentioned earlier, you need an ID for many of today's everyday occurrences. It seems as if many groups (all races and all political parties) were able to come up with ways to get bus loads of people to the polls (churches, retirement homes, etc.) in the last few elections; why can't they get them to claim their ID card?
The argument that will slow down the process may be the worst argument you could have used. The fact there are not ID's actually makes the process much more manual and labor intensive. With a required ID, you in fact could look at more automation and machines to help speed the process up.
What are these security checks you mention? I simply had to know my name and address. I could have walked through my neighborhood, pulled a piece of junk mail out of each mailbox and voted 120 times.
You mention this could be "harmful to youth, minorities, the elderly?" Youth is a silly argument; you have to be 18 to vote. If you are 18 you can live on your own, drive, fight in war, etc. Youth is a little league team, which I agree don't need an ID. The elderly: So old people can't sit still for a picture? The elderly are more active then they have been in 50 years. Those that are not blessed enough to get around on their own will likely have a care provider that can assist them in getting anywhere they need or won't be going out to vote! Minorities: probably the most racist argument yet - on your part. Are you implying that minorities are not capable of the responsibilities of getting a free ID. Are you saying that all minorities are financially strapped. The definition of a minority is a group differing, especially in race, religion, or ethnic background, from the majority of a population. There is nothing referring to financial status or ability to travel.
common_sense
Are you proposing you intentionally committ voter fraud?
For a party that prides itself on less gov't, this entire series of legislation is laughable. Just another way for rethuglicans to restrict access except for the select few.
Party names are correct........
There is a reason the Jim Crow laws of the 50's were done away with. Sad to say, but the rethuglicans are trying to bring back those ways of life when it comes to voting. Instead of it being disguised as a race issue, they are disguising it as a security issue. There is no proof that illegals or non-registered voters voted in the last election.
areyouserious
You are an ignorant bigot.
OK - So I don't have to show my ID...
Maybe the next time I vote I'll tell them I'm Shaniqua Singleton.
To areyouserious
Your mistaken in your party names:
It's the "dema-gogues" who want to allow fraud in the voting booth. A picture idea is required to travel, drive, buy alcohol, etc. I invite you to join us in the 21st centry!!
All you Jim Crower's
Go back and live in the 50's again.
Great Letter!
Funny how none of these issues or bills were brought to the forefront until the last general election. All of these actions that these republican, freedom-restricting bills did was get Obama elected office. The dreaded and hated scourge of republicans everywhere!
These bills are attempts by the the rethuglicans to restrict the voting demographic to suit their needs and across socio-econmic lines. When they know good and well, by traditional themes, their policies won't ever appeal to those groups.
Thanks
to and for all the comments. Right on target. As a past poll worker most people do come and show their Driver License to simplify their name and address information. That help makes the process move quickly and more efficiently. Why would one be hesitant to show identification unless one has something to hide? Most states do have this requirement so what's the problem in North Carolina???
Really?
Free IDs are not free- they are produced at the cost of taxpayers. If you drive a car to the polls like most people do you are required by state law to have the mandatory state isued ID, called a Drivers License. Are we as a state now disenfranchising 'We the People' from pursuing happiness, as is guaranteed, by charging people for the prilege to drive?
And a little background goes a long, long way. Our author is a steadfast member of Democracy NC, certainly a group htat would never seek to push an agenda. Right?
IDs
Where in this society can you exist without ID. You are ID if you use a check, credit card and sometimes a Debit card. You have to show ID to receive medications, walk into a bar or ABC store. If you go to the bank and withdraw money you have to show ID. If you rent you have to show ID. If you go to the hospital or doctors etc. you have to show ID. You need ID to checkout a book.
Voting is a right and priviledge. With this priviledge comes responsibility to protect the system from fraud. That means you have to provide ID to exercise your priviledge. On this birthday of America it is not about someone have to go to DVM and get an ID it is about all those who have fought and died for you to make such misguided. As far as straight-ticket voting that is and will always be a means of getting votes from the uneducated because they don't even have to know the candidates name.
Happy Birthday America and when you have fougth to defend the rights of all citizens then you can complain about the system.
Perspective
Please think about this: hundreds of thousands of our military service men and women DIED so each of us may vote. In light of their sacrifice, it is nothing less than shameful to think that a US citizen would not make the miniscule effort to obtain a free photo ID card to show at the polls and help ensure our elections are free of voter fraud.
Let me get this straight...
Are you saying that the people in these demographics can't afford a FREE ID CARD, which this bill provided? Really?
Are you saying that these people are so busy that they can't get to a DMV office to get this free ID? If so, how do they find time to vote at all?
Showing an ID is a small price to pay to insure that our elections are valid. The idea that getting an ID in our society is a burden is laughable. The fact is that the left knows who is doing all the fraudulent voting, and therefore they want to make sure that they can continue to do so.
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