Georgia to Require Photo IDs to Vote

[ginnyinWI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062901816.html

Yikes--they only have three weeks to get ID's to people without drivers' licenses! Thanks to the Republicans. :mad:

ATLANTA -- Georgia voters must present government-issued photo identification to cast a ballot in the primary election, which is less than three weeks away, the State Election Board said Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Justice cleared the law Wednesday, and the elections board decided to require IDs for the July 18 primary despite concerns about whether there was time to educate voters

State elections officials can immediately begin issuing free photo identification cards to voters who need them, the board said. The state also plans to air public service announcements on more than 100 radio stations and will give voters at the polls a letter explaining the new ID requirement after they cast their ballot.

The board's lone Democrat blasted the decision to move forward without an education outreach targeting those who lack a photo ID issued by the Georgia Department of Drivers Services. "It's a shame and it's an embarrassment to this state," David Worley said.

more...

[napi21]

1. Yea, I know. I read that yesterday. I suggest to all Georgians that

we form a group of volunteer drivers to take anyone who asks to a place whwere they can get their ID. That's the only solution that could be done in 3 weeks!

THEN, we need to contact Cox and Taylor to get some mobile ID vans. How damn hard can it be to put the darn camera in a van, and comit to visit every county in GA several times between now and the end of October? They have bookmobiles, mobile blood donor units, hell I use a mobile vetinary doctor for my pets because I can't drive!

I think there's a much bigger problem than this ID issue though! VOTER TURNOUT!!!!

There are hundreds of thousands of registered voters who just don't bother to get off their lazy butts for 30 minutes to vote!!!!

[CottonBear]

2. The catch is you have to have a bank statement, birth certificate,

passport or student ID (I think that there are a few other types of ID one can use to prove citizenship/residency)to get the voter ID.

Now tell me: how many poor people don't have bank accounts, student IDs, passports, birth certificates or utility bills in their name?

This is a scam to keep the poor, indigent, homeless, disabled and elderly from voting and it is a goddamned crime.
:grr:

edit: sp.
PS I live in GA.

[RethugAssKicker]

3. You got it... It is a crime... It isa calculated

effort to limit democratic voters!... No mystery...Very simple and very obvious!... We're going back to Jim Crow days

[IndependentVoice]

4. It doesn't matter what they do, people are starting to realize what they

are up to. even a lot of registered rupblicans are going to vote dem, even in georgia

[CottonBear]

5. I'm working with a voting rights group here in GA.

We are working to register likely Dems (poor, elderly, minorities...), get out the vote and encourage absentee voting (i.e. non-Diebold.) R.E.M. and many other concerned citizens and organizations have donated money to the effort.

[niccolos_smile]

6. I don't have a problem with photo id, BUT...

I think the solution is as simple as putting a copy of your DL photo, etc. onto a voter registration card.

In fact, that was suggested during the Texas Legislature's regular session while we were having the debate of requiring id, because of election fraud, but it was dismissed, because of a question about the fiscal note and phony concerns about unfunded mandates (as if those guys don't pass enough illegitimate unfunded mandates).

They did add to the bill the exception that you could show a copy of an utility bill, etc., but honestly, who carries their bills on them, and if the concern is voter fraud because registration cards were being taken out of mail boxes, why couldn't a thief take the utility bills as well.

The idiocy of some public policy amazes me, especially when some answers are so clear.

[roseBudd]

8. The poor don't have drivers licenses because they do not drive!

[niccolos_smile]

9. And?...

They could take a photo when they sign up for their voter registration card, or they could use the photo from another government id. Why take such a limited perspective?

BTW, poor people don't have DL's because they don't drive? Coulda fooled me. I know a lot of poor people who have DL's and drive. They may not have a Cadillac, but they have a drivable vehicle. So, let's keep the hyperbole to a minimum shall we.

[roseBudd]

11. I guess that depends on your definition of poor...

I'm sure those free voters IDs won't require a birth certificate to get and if they do the copy of the birth certificate and the trip to the Board of Health to get the BC will be free and provided with door-to-door service. Because the GOP dominated (only 1 dem) state legislature would not want the non-driving poor to have jump through hoops to vote while all the vehicle owning drivers don't have to do a thing.

Funny the career Justice Department employees agree this is about suppression.

[CottonBear]

14. You don't live in GA. You don't know about GA.

GA has the most counties in the nation (156 behind TX) and only 1/3 have DMV offices and most are in rural areas away from centers of population and the poor and minorities.

I'm working with a voting rights group here in GA. I live a a town w/ a large pop. of the poor, minorities and elderly. There is NO public transit to the nearest DMV office in a rural, white majority county. The Repubs shut down our local satellite DMV office years ago (it was available by sidewalk, bike, bus, taxi or car.) Our town has a 28% povety rate but only 3% unemployment which means that people are working multiple (2-3 ) jobs and are still in poverty.

These people do not have photo ID , passports, student IDs or bank accounts.

Does that make them less American and less of a citizen than you or me? Think about it.

[Awsi Dooger]

16. Thank you for the description

When I've charted political voting trends by county I'm always amazed how many counties Georgia has. For reference purposes, Florida has less than half that number, 67.

I'm sure the GOP knew exactly what they were doing. Pass a requirement that most people will look at as no big deal since they have multiple forms of ID. But the segment of the population who they are targeting, and who have no voice, will be impacted and perhaps vote in lesser numbers. Criminal. I really wish we'd filter 5% of the Diebold chatter to aspects like this that genuinely alter voting participation.

[CottonBear]

17. You're welcome!

I need to check the county number. It may be 156 or 158. In any case, it's a lot of counties.

GA is the largest state east of the MS river. My county in GA is the smallest east of the MS river. Weird, huh?

Keep fighting the good fight and contribute to Write to Vote here in GA if you can!

NV is a beautiful state! I was there many years ago! Mr. CB & I want to visit Vegas & then get a car and go to the Grand Canyon. He'sever been out west. It'll blow his mind (he's an artist): the spaces, the light, the landscape! Awesome!

Peace. CB

[niccolos_smile]

19. No, I don't live in GA

however, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think the lack of a photo id prevents putting one on a voter registration card when you register to vote.

I think this preserves what is most at stake: the integreity of our electoral process. It protects against fraud, but it does not discriminate against those who don't have an id already, since, as I've noted, your picture could be taken when you register to vote.

If you register by mail that's a different issue, but I don't think it would be that big of a problem. If one registered by mail, then someone could come to your home and take your photo, if you were not able to go to the courthouse (an option which you could check on your registration form). This might create some expense for the county, but I think it would be worth it.

[roseBudd]

7. I just queried some "derelicts" hanging in front of a social services

agency in the ghetto on my lunch break. I asked "of people who don't drive cars how many don't have photo IDs?" The unaanimous answer was alot. They then asked who said they need photo IDs to vote. I said Georgia and they said "f*** Georgia"

Any DUer who thinks the poor are all packing photo IDs or could and would get them easily is smoking crack.

[ginnyinWI]

10. the article said that the governor, a Dem, will file a protest on Monday.

I hope they get this new law waived, at least for the July election.

[Awsi Dooger]

12. That's former gov Roy Barnes

The current gov is a Republican.

This is another very predictable form of low tech GOP vote suppression, primarily impacting the elderly and poor. I wish it would get as much critical press as the DRE hysteria.

[Jigarotta]

13. I want to know who the photo contractor is.

another no bid, my guess.
another rape of the treasury.

[kster]

15. All the while, The Dems and Repub politicians

sit quietly, Don't get up Politicians, Diebold, ES&S and Sequioa will give you your bone later. Thanks for caring, ASSHOLES!

[McCamy Taylor]

18. The only people who will be checked in November will be minorities

And watch for a bunch of obnoxious poll watchers who will challenge every other voter as not looking like his or her ID.

This is just one more RNC effort to suppress the vote.