Randi Rhodes Forums

We told you last week about Republican efforts to suppress the vote nationwide that could prevent 5 MILLION Americans from voting. According to the New York Times, the voter fraud Republicans say they’re preventing simply isn’t an issue. “The only reason Republicans are passing these laws is to give themselves a political edge by suppressing Democratic votes.”

The scary thing is, it just might work. Enough votes could be lost to states like Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and Virginia to hand the Senate – and the White House – to the GOP.

This news really struck a nerve with grassroots activists – we’re nearly halfway to our goal of 150,000 signatures. But we’re missing your name – will you click here and sign?

After you’ve signed, check out our brand new 2012 Election Protection Project website, where you can view maps of affected states, learn facts about the new laws, share information on Twitter and, most importantly, register to vote.

We’re starting to put together our voter outreach plans based on these new GOP laws, and I sure could use your help. Thanks in advance for signing and sharing. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.

Crystal King
DSCC Political Director

http://www.sherrodbrown.com/petition/w1110vof/?subsource=CKFOHORMO02

“New voting laws could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.”

Republicans have launched an effort in Ohio and in states around the country to disenfranchise voters — “especially hurt those who have been historically locked out of our electoral system, like minorities, poor people, and students.” AMP;

Introducing the Same Day Registration and Voter Access Protection Act

Posted: 11/2/11 10:15 AM ET

Last month, Dorothy Cooper, a 96-year-old African-American woman from Chattanooga, Tennessee, went to the ballot box to vote. Dorothy was born before women had the right to vote and when Jim Crow laws kept most African-Americans disenfranchised. Despite this, Dorothy has not missed a single election since 1960. Like many seniors, Dorothy has a Social Security card, a local photo ID issued by the Chattanooga Police Department -- and a voter registration card.

Dorothy also has a rent receipt, a copy of her lease, and birth certificate. But a new Tennessee law requires all voters to have a valid state-issued voter ID in order to vote in the 2012 election. Because Dorothy took her husband's name at marriage, the state will not accept her birth certificate (or any of her other forms of identification). And because Dorothy doesn't have her marriage certificate, having been married decades ago, the state of Tennessee prohibits her from obtaining the ID needed to vote.

Dorothy is not alone. In Indiana, 12 nuns were denied the right to vote in the last presidential election because they didn't have "updated" identification. The facts that some of them had old passports, they were in their 80s and 90s and didn't drive -- or that they're nuns -- seemed not to be a good basis for affirming their identities.

These are not isolated incidents. They are part of the largest effort to disenfranchise voters since the Jim Crow era, almost exclusively targeting youth and minority voters. A recent study by the Brennan Center for Justice estimates that the Republican effort could make it harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.

This year, thirty-four state legislatures introduced bills requiring photo identification in order to vote. This rash of legislation classifies several previously accepted IDs as unacceptable, and will affect roughly 21 million Americans if they are passed. For the first time in our nation's history, we would shrink the voting franchise instead of expanding it.

These are solutions in search of a problem. Statistics show an infinitesimal number of proven voting fraud cases occurring in the United States. And these few cases have been successfully prosecuted like any other criminal offense.

Groups promoting these laws, such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), argue there's rampant voter fraud. Oddly enough this "fraud" seems to be occurring only within historically Democratic voting blocs like minorities and students. Yet ALEC and others have no problem squashing these groups' voting rights -- or the rights of elderly voters. Routinely issued student IDs won't be accepted in some states -- including my home state of Minnesota. The elderly, non-drivers, and millions of others will have to get identification. This sounds like a simple process, but imagine an 80-year-old grandmother, who has never driven and uses a wheelchair, going through the process of getting non-drivers ID. If her Social Security card is accepted identification for her benefits, why isn't it good enough to identify her for voting?

For these reasons, I am introducing two bills today to curb voter suppression.

For what it is worth, here is a minor example of what is going on.

Last week, while voting for Governor in KY, I got to the polling place and saw signs everywhere which said, "ID required." When I go to vote, I always bring my County Clerk issued Voter Registration Notice, which is a post card from the County acknowledging that I am a registered voter. When asked for my ID, I showed them the card. I was told that it was not an acceptable form of ID. I asked why, and was told "We would prefer other ID." I replied, "That's what you prefer. What is required by law?" They then showed me a list of items, include drivers license, credit card,... and other. I said "Well this is 'other.'" They then reluctantly accepted my ID (one poll worker turned to another and said, "It's up to you.").

I did have some of the other forms of ID with me, but chose not to show them. However, I find it ominous that they were readily willing to accept a credit card as legal ID, but not a government issued document proving that I am a registered voter.

more here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-keith-ellison/introducing-the-same-day_b_1071341.html
or here:
http://www.keithellison.org/news/2011/11/keith-introduces-same-day-registration-and-voter-access-protection-act/

It's really not an other if it was issued by the county and approved in writing by the state Board of Elections. If it didn't meet those requirements then it would not have been valid and should not have been accepted. I'm going to assume that it did meet the qualifications to be accepted.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/krs/117-00/227.PDF
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/031/004/010.htm

As you can see in that link, for a credit card to be accepted it must have a photo of the cardholder on it thus the reason why a credit card was included in the list.