S/O Should there be stricter voter requirements?

[vegaschristina]

Another thread was started and spoke about voter fraud. Based on some of the responses, do you think there should be more stringent voter requirements? By that I mean showing proof of residency, ID, education on issues.

In Nevada, we open up early voting 2 weeks from tomorrow and I'll be casting my ballot. When I do, I will tell them my precinct number and sign a paper. They will see if signatures match and if they're close, I get to vote. Some people on other threads have said they need to show ID to cast their ballots.

So...watcha think?

Edit to add: Please keep this civil, I'm not speaking specifically to either campaign effort, just the actual voting process.

[movefearlessly]

i think you absolutely should be required to show legal proof of identification. couldn't believe that's not requirement everywhere!

[diannerigdon]

Ya it probably could be beefed up a little. But the more difficult it is to register and/or vote, the more it discourages people from voting. You don't want to discourage voters when the races are so close, but you also don't want people voting inappropriately . I would think it is a difficult thing to balance.

[LindsaysMom]

Another thread was started and spoke about voter fraud. Based on some of the responses, do you think there should be more stringent voter requirements? By that I mean showing proof of residency, ID, education on issues.




I don't think that education on issues should be a requirement because that would make Millions ineligible to vote.

I am absolutely for strict ID and proof of residency requirements.

[MommySpice]

Yes there needs to be strict ID and proof of residency requirements.

I think that people educated on the issues should be the ones to vote, but that's something that won't be easy to prove. Who decides what makes for good education on these issues? I guess if we don't educate ourselves before we vote, then we totally deserve whatever ills we get as a result.

[Heather Manning]

I'm with everyone else about showing ID. We have to here. I have the choice of showing my voter card or my ID. I always show my Driver's License and they check it against the list because I can never find my voter card. LOL I'll admit it, I can be unorganized. LOL

[kjbstevens]

Yes. I turned in my Virginia voters registration 5 years ago and this week they sent me a ballot to vote there absentee. I could easily do it in a state that really matters. Makes no sense. I believe they should have to show some sort of ID. Even if it's non-photo at least it is something. We don't have to show anything here. I could tell them anything I wanted.

[tcscrapper]

When we vote, we have to show our driver's license or other government ID (military ID card, passport, etc.). You have to go to your specific voter area (they will not take you in another area of our town or county).

I think that without proper ID, we are opening ourselves up to obvious voter fraud.

[Stacey42]

I think an ID should be necessary and so should proof of residency, which is on most IDs anyway.

[BobbieB]

When we vote, we have to show our driver's license or other government ID (military ID card, passport, etc.). You have to go to your specific voter area (they will not take you in another area of our town or county).

I think that without proper ID, we are opening ourselves up to obvious voter fraud.


This is how ours is

[Heather Manning]

You have to go to your specific voter area (they will not take you in another area of our town or county).



This is true of ours too. We are broke up into pretty small areas, and you cannot go to one that is out of your district. They'll check for your name and send you off to the right one.

[Gina.Maria]

Well, I honestly can't think of any regular circumstance which would result in a person of voting age being unable to produce a single form of picture identification. If someone can come up with one, I'd like to know. Based on that, I don't think it's unreasonable to require identification to vote (unless the reason for forgiving the lack is related to a natural disaster.) Even naturalized citizens have their green cards. As to any other conditions, I think our Constitution covers all that is necessary.

[LDesjardin]

I agree, I think that you should have to show your ID to verify residency. I think it's like that most places, except for a few states.

[txmusicmom]

I think a PHOTO ID should be shown...........

Donna

[thumper6423]

My nephew is 21 and had no picture ID that places would take. He had his college card, but it has no age or address so it did him no good for ID purposes. He's lived in Germany almost all his life (military family) and just got his driver's license a couple months ago so he could hit the bars for his 21st.

We have to show picture ID and go to our specific polling place. I think we have the sign the paper thing too, but I've only voted here in PA once, so I can't remember. I think everyone should have to show some form of ID to vote that shows their residency. You can get a state ID card even if you don't drive. Honestly, the only time I use my driver's license is to buy liquor and I get carded. Even then that's about a 40% chance I'll have to use it.

[tsaria]

Yes, I think ID should be a requirement, but that should be all.

[Nevada Jen]

I do not think ID should be required to vote as long as it was shown to register. The people who run the polls are extremely partisan in every state I have lived in and are completely untrained. I don't think it does anything to help ensure that the person actually voting is the one registered to vote. I think it would give polling places a reason to turn people away. I have participated in at least two elections where I can gaurntee this would have happened. If your name is on the sheet for the precinct you are voting at and you can reasonably repeat your signature that is just as good as an ID in my eyes. Really, how much harder is it to cook up a fake ID?

[JCSimon]

Well, I honestly can't think of any regular circumstance which would result in a person of voting age being unable to produce a single form of picture identification. If someone can come up with one, I'd like to know. Based on that, I don't think it's unreasonable to require identification to vote (unless the reason for forgiving the lack is related to a natural disaster.) Even naturalized citizens have their green cards. As to any other conditions, I think our Constitution covers all that is necessary.

I'm not sure....in Michigan, you can't get a driver's license or state ID without an address. I work with homeless people. You're not allowed to use a PO Box or the address of a shelter so, if you're homeless, you're pretty much disenfranchised unless you happen to have a previous ID that hasn't expired.

This is a tough issue for me. On the one hand, I think there needs to be some way to ID people and make sure they're who they say they are. I'd also *really* like it if people had to be informed about the candidates. I know several people that vote whatever their pastor/husband/son tells them to, without having a clue about the issues. On the other hand, requiring ID, at least here in Michigan, can prevent legitimate voters from voting...and any kind of "readiness" test takes us right back to the days when groups of people were easily prevented from voting.

[iteach3rdgrade]

I have to show my i.d. and go to a certain location.

[Dielle]

I absolutely think you should have to show ID. You don't here in WA, and all the arguments against is are ridiculous, IMO. People say fewer people would vote, because it would put an undue burden on some people. I think anyone who is legally in the state can get ID through the DOT, and I honestly don't know how you'd function in the rest of your life without ID. I can't imagine there are very many people who don't actually have it. But after the last election for governor there were people who registered their pets and voted twice, felons who voted, ballots came in from dead people (huh?) and all kinds of things. The final determination came down to a few hundred votes, so requiring ID could have totally changed the outcome of the race.

I also really dislike it that my county requires you to vote by absentee ballot. I moved here not long ago from another county and there is something so cool and empowering about actually going in and voting. Plus, I'm mailing impaired, LOL. I have the hardest time getting things in the mail (and I live on a highway, so won't put mail out to be picked up).

[MommySpice]

Dielle...my husband is from Washington and always talks about that election...boy was it a mess. Ugh!

[lunafaerie]

I also really dislike it that my county requires you to vote by absentee ballot. I moved here not long ago from another county and there is something so cool and empowering about actually going in and voting. Plus, I'm mailing impaired, LOL. I have the hardest time getting things in the mail (and I live on a highway, so won't put mail out to be picked up).

ITA with this!!! We don't have a voting place either, because we live in an un-incorporated part of the city (they'd like to think all us Latinos didn't live here --ha ha that was a joke-- kinda)

[vegaschristina]

We have all of the local voting precincts but we also have the early voting in libraries, grocery stores and the mall. We even have little trailers that get moved from place to place during the early voting. The hard part about voting early is we still have to listen to all of the commercials after voting!

[Gina.Maria]

My nephew is 21 and had no picture ID that places would take. He had his college card, but it has no age or address so it did him no good for ID purposes. He's lived in Germany almost all his life (military family) and just got his driver's license a couple months ago so he could hit the bars for his 21st.

I would imagine he should have had a passport, which is valid identification, though my friend was refused purchase of beer because a store clerk wouldn't accept his retired military ID or his valid passport.

I do not think ID should be required to vote as long as it was shown to register. The people who run the polls are extremely partisan in every state I have lived in and are completely untrained. I don't think it does anything to help ensure that the person actually voting is the one registered to vote. I think it would give polling places a reason to turn people away. I have participated in at least two elections where I can gaurntee this would have happened. If your name is on the sheet for the precinct you are voting at and you can reasonably repeat your signature that is just as good as an ID in my eyes. Really, how much harder is it to cook up a fake ID?

I don't believe each state has signature examples on their voter registers. If your state does, then I can see the argument. However, if the signature is visible before the potential voter is asked to sign, I'd have a hard time accepting the process, as is. I'm certain that we'd never be able to get enough volunteers who are handwriting analysts, too. ;)

I'm not sure....in Michigan, you can't get a driver's license or state ID without an address. I work with homeless people. You're not allowed to use a PO Box or the address of a shelter so, if you're homeless, you're pretty much disenfranchised unless you happen to have a previous ID that hasn't expired.

In this circumstance, I see the fault lying with the law that prohibits the issuance of adequate ID without an address. I see your point, though. It sounds as though requiring ID would take the right of voting and turn it into a privilege that you earn by "living the dream."

We have all of the local voting precincts but we also have the early voting in libraries, grocery stores and the mall. We even have little trailers that get moved from place to place during the early voting. The hard part about voting early is we still have to listen to all of the commercials after voting!
So, are there slot machines alongside voting machines? Pull the lever for your candidate then go pull the lever on the slots if you're feeling lucky? ;)

[vegaschristina]

So, are there slot machines alongside voting machines? Pull the lever for your candidate then go pull the lever on the slots if you're feeling lucky? ;)

In the grocery stores, yes :lol.