This editorial is in response to “Our View” in the Aug. 2 Bladen Journal regarding voter ID.
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said that the legislation is discriminatory and puts up unnecessary hurdles for black people. “Our View” stated that Republicans crafted the law to make it more difficult for people who traditionally vote Democratic, not only people of color, but poor people, the elderly, and even the young.
No matter who is correct, I don’t don’t get it. How can using an ID to ensure that a voter is alive, a citizen, and is who they say they are and not a felon out on parole, possibly be discriminating against anyone other than someone who is trying to commit voter fraud? How else can we ensure our voting laws are being followed? During the last election many cases of voter fraud and dead people voting were exposed. One case involved a video of a poll worker in Raleigh encouraging a noncitizen to vote. The lady explained that she was not a citizen three times and each time the poll worker told her it was OK for her to vote because she registered and her name was on the roll.
It’s no trouble to get an ID. There are currently 2,214 registered voters in N.C. over the age of 110. Other countries require IDs. IDs are necessary for survival in America today: to drive, see a doctor, get health insurance including Medicaid or Medicare, apply for food stamps or welfare, apply for social security, enroll your children in school, check out your children from school, rent or buy an apartment or house, rent or buy a car, have a job, buy alcohol or cigarettes, check out a library book, open a bank account, apply for unemployment, get married, buy a gun, pick up certain prescriptions, buy Sudafed, write a check, buy a fast pass as some amusement parks, get a senior citizen’s discount, enter the DNC, get a hunting or fishing license, rent a hotel room, get married, get on an airplane, donate blood, or buy a mature rated game or CD.
What puzzles me the most is how the people in these minority groups feel about this. If I were black, poor, elderly, or young, I would be offended that people thought I couldn’t do any of the above activities and therefore didn’t have an ID. Are there really people who sit at home all day and don’t get welfare or aren’t out looking for a job? If so, who’s home are they sitting in all day? It can’t be their own because they would have to show an ID to rent or buy. I have never known anyone who didn’t need an ID for at least one of the reasons listed above. Can anyone give me an example?
The law also allowed voters unable to get an ID because of a “reasonable impediment” to cast a provisional ballot. The voter would have to sign a declaration describing the impediment, provide either their date of birth or last four digits of their social security number, or their voter registration card, or a current copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document. I don’t see how this leaves anyone unable to vote or discriminates against anyone.
Leslie Pate
White Lake