I do not think that the focus of voter ID requirements is on keeping the trans community from exercising the franchise. There are plenty of instances of voter fraud that can be address with ID. Plenty of votes still being cast on behalf of dead people and on behalf of people who lack the capacity to vote. My state does not ID anyone...nor do the do any serious maintenance of the voter rolls. We moved 4 years ago and I believe my name, the name of my wife and children are still noted in the books of our old polling place. You could walk in there 4 times and vote on behalf of each of us. My kids live hours away but were registered in my current voting district. I can cast a vote in each of their names since no one will ask me for any ID and no real scrutiny is ever given to a signature. 4 years ago there were 59 voting districts with thousands of votes cast without a single vote cast for Romney. I would think that at least one person would have hit his name in error. In my view every single false vote or improper vote cheapens your franchise and mine. My local paper runs a daily immigration column. Its primary purpose is to help immigrants stay in the US and to become green card holders and citizens. The subject this week was concern that voting prior to citizenship can DQ a person's right to eventual citizenship. My point is simple. Every citizen, whether black, white, trans, gay, etc. should be fully encouraged to vote and should not face any undue obstacles but we have a duty to make sure that our elections are not cheapened by dropping all vigilance. Pat
I do not think that the focus of voter ID requirements is on keeping the trans community from exercising the franchise. There are plenty of instances of voter fraud that can be address with ID. Plenty of votes still being cast on behalf of dead people and on behalf of people who lack the capacity to vote. My state does not ID anyone...nor do the do any serious maintenance of the voter rolls. We moved 4 years ago and I believe my name, the name of my wife and children are still noted in the books of our old polling place. You could walk in there 4 times and vote on behalf of each of us. My kids live hours away but were registered in my current voting district. I can cast a vote in each of their names since no one will ask me for any ID and no real scrutiny is ever given to a signature.
ReplyDelete4 years ago there were 59 voting districts with thousands of votes cast without a single vote cast for Romney. I would think that at least one person would have hit his name in error.
In my view every single false vote or improper vote cheapens your franchise and mine.
My local paper runs a daily immigration column. Its primary purpose is to help immigrants stay in the US and to become green card holders and citizens. The subject this week was concern that voting prior to citizenship can DQ a person's right to eventual citizenship.
My point is simple. Every citizen, whether black, white, trans, gay, etc. should be fully encouraged to vote and should not face any undue obstacles but we have a duty to make sure that our elections are not cheapened by dropping all vigilance.
Pat