Yesterday I voted
Every other blogger seems to have posted an imperative: vote. I'm saying ok ok... I did.
I thought that my rights had been violated when they checked my ID. You can't create a situation where it costs money to vote. It's called a poll tax. Poll taxes were used in slave states (and maybe elsewhere, I don't know) to keep poor (black) people from voting. It is against the constitution and the laws were struck down eventually. WA state now requires ID in this new law (taken from the ACLU of WA site):
RCW 29A.44.205. Identification required.
Any person desiring to vote at any primary or election is required to provide identification to the election officer before signing the poll book. The identification required in this section can be satisfied by providing a valid photo identification, such as a driver's license or state identification card, student identification card, or tribal identification card, a voter's voter identification issued by a county elections officer, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check or other government document. Any individual who desires to vote in person but cannot provide identification as required by this section shall be issued a provisional ballot.
A lot of those things can be acquired for free and I can't say would cause an undue burden upon any voted. A utility bill would count. "...other government document." would be an easy one to get as well. If you can't produce ID you are issued a provisional ballot so I guess my plan to challenge the law is shot.
Damnation. I want to get to the supreme court somehow and my lack of law degree isn't going to get me there. Wait. I could become a prominent church member in Texas and that would at least get me the appointment, right?
I thought that my rights had been violated when they checked my ID. You can't create a situation where it costs money to vote. It's called a poll tax. Poll taxes were used in slave states (and maybe elsewhere, I don't know) to keep poor (black) people from voting. It is against the constitution and the laws were struck down eventually. WA state now requires ID in this new law (taken from the ACLU of WA site):
RCW 29A.44.205. Identification required.
Any person desiring to vote at any primary or election is required to provide identification to the election officer before signing the poll book. The identification required in this section can be satisfied by providing a valid photo identification, such as a driver's license or state identification card, student identification card, or tribal identification card, a voter's voter identification issued by a county elections officer, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check or other government document. Any individual who desires to vote in person but cannot provide identification as required by this section shall be issued a provisional ballot.
A lot of those things can be acquired for free and I can't say would cause an undue burden upon any voted. A utility bill would count. "...other government document." would be an easy one to get as well. If you can't produce ID you are issued a provisional ballot so I guess my plan to challenge the law is shot.
Damnation. I want to get to the supreme court somehow and my lack of law degree isn't going to get me there. Wait. I could become a prominent church member in Texas and that would at least get me the appointment, right?
posted by J.R. at 1:13 PM
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