Tracy Press

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written by BernieS , April 30, 2008

Mr. Marshall, your concern with protecting voter fraud is an important issue however did you know that: In Indiana, if a voter does not already have a current driver's license or passport with the same name on it as the voter filled out on his or her registration form (even if the voter has since married and changed his or her name), that voter will encounter a serious challenge to vote. In order to get the so-called free ID the state is offering, well in advance of the election, a voter would have to go to a DMV during working hours and present a primary document, a secondary document, and a proof of residency, or two primary documents and one proof of residency document. The only items that count as primary documents essentially are an original, stamped birth certificate or a passport. Many people do not have their original birth certificate at home. And only about a quarter of Americans have passports on hand. So the voter without their birth certificate handy must go out and buy one. Particularly for a citizen who was not born in Indiana, can take months. What's more, Indiana's law allows for no recourse. If the voter comes to the polls without the right ID, as far as particular poll worker is concerned, he cannot vote by regular ballot that day. He must instead return to election offices with the necessary ID within 10 days- something many voters even if they have the requisite ID may not be able to do. Indiana's voter ID law has been designed to prevent fraud. Many research has found that this type of election fraud is rare. In fact, in indiana's court papers in defending the law, the State could not provide one example in Indiana's history that this type of fraud took place. There should be a better way to handle this situation for elderly citizens, the poor, and the disabled. We must protect the interests of all citizens.

...
written by BernieS , April 30, 2008

Mr. Marshall, your concern with protecting voter fraud is an important issue however did you know that: In Indiana, if a voter does not already have a current driver's license or passport with the same name on it as the voter filled out on his or her registration form (even if the voter has since married and changed his or her name), that voter will encounter a serious challenge to vote. In order to get the so-called free ID the state is offering, well in advance of the election, a voter would have to go to a DMV during working hours and present a primary document, a secondary document, and a proof of residency, or two primary documents and one proof of residency document. The only items that count as primary documents essentially are an original, stamped birth certificate or a passport. Many people do not have their original birth certificate at home. And only about a quarter of Americans have passports on hand. So the voter without their birth certificate handy must go out and buy one. Particularly for a citizen who was not born in Indiana, can take months. What's more, Indiana's law allows for no recourse. If the voter comes to the polls without the right ID, as far as particular poll worker is concerned, he cannot vote by regular ballot that day. He must instead return to election offices with the necessary ID within 10 days- something many voters even if they have the requisite ID may not be able to do. Indiana's voter ID law has been designed to prevent fraud. Many research has found that this type of election fraud is rare. In fact, in indiana's court papers in defending the law, the State could not provide one example in Indiana's history that this type of fraud took place. There should be a better way to handle this situation for elderly citizens, the poor, and the disabled. We must protect the interests of all citizens.