The state Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether Michigan can require voters to show photo ID, entering a decade-long political fray over issues such as election fraud and voter intimidation.
The court voted 5-2 to issue an advisory opinion on the constitutionality of a 1997 state law requiring voters to show photo identification to get a ballot. A court spokeswoman said the ruling will be binding, though it could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Former Attorney General Frank Kelley, a Democrat, ruled nine years ago that the law violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees U.S. citizens the right to vote.
There is no reason why ID to vote should not be required. If someone can't afford an id, comp the individual. This can reduce fraud.
15 comments:
Every other state I have lived in has required a photo ID to vote, I do not see what the big deal is.
Chalk one up to honesty in voting. There will be fewer people voting in place of their brother in Detroit for this election process.
Of course Democrats are opposed to using I.D.'s for voting. If I.D.'s are required, all those people in Detroit that have died, moved away, gone into prison, etc . . . but regularly show up to vote will have their civil rights violated. We sure don't want to offend this crowd since they are some of the most loyal Democrats around.
Yea, too bad we don't have a competent Secretary of State.
RKG,
You DO agree that illegal voting is bad, don't you?
To be honest, your thinking on this issue is pretty foggy. Requiring voter ID does not restrict our right to vote, it protects us from being disenfranchised through voter fraud. I thought you Democrats out there want to prevent disenfranshisement?
Keep in mind that we ALREADY have to give our name and address to vote. It's not like we vote anonymously. Showing an I.D. just goes one step further, requiring just a few seconds while already waiting in line.
When people vote illegally it cancels out the vote of a legitimate voter. There is no way to measure the impact of illegal voting but it is quite likely that it has changed the outcome in at least some close races. This cheats EVERY voter.
So how do we STOP illegal voting? Is requiring an I.D. such a bad remedy? Aside from the fact that most places in the U.S. already require a government issued I.D. to vote, we should keep in mind that most citizens are already used to showing I.D. regularly for all sorts of things. You need a good I.D. to cash a check (some places require 2), travel on an airplane, get a job, and buy cigarettes/alcohol (younger people). If you drive a vehicle you are required to show your government issued Driver's licence upon request by any law enforcement official.
As for the "poll tax" argument, that is a red herring to distract people from the facts. The vast majority of citizens ALREADY HAVE an I.D. that could be used. For the few that don't it would not be a problem at all for our state government to issue them an I.D. card FOR FREE.
Regarding guns, I have a concealed pistol permit and I am a strong 2nd amendment supporter. But like many gun owners I do support some gun laws. For example, I support laws which make it illegal for convicted criminals to own or possess a firearm. I don't mind getting a license to legally carry a gun. If someone is going to carry, they should know the law and undergo training. This is the purpose of issuing carry licenses. Within reason I don't even mind having to go through a criminal background check to buy firearms. I believe that firearm laws should be about keeping firearms out of the hands of proven lawbreakers, not about limiting responsible and law abiding citizens. If I have to suffer a little delay when buying guns, so be it.
You see, every issue is not black and white. Within any issue there are many shades of gray. In our real world existance we often have to compromise a bit on our idealistic principles in order to keep things running smoothly.
I wish I lived in a world where we could count on voters to all be honest and only vote once. But this is the real world. Voter fraud happens, perhaps on a larger scale than we know. It is the DUTY of our government to PROTECT voters by doing whatever is reasonably possible to STOP illegal voting. If this means requiring voters to PROVE that they are legitimate, so be it.
Republicans are always willing to give up their rights! They work to give up their privacy rights, the the rights to the judicial system and of course now voting rights
Pitiful and pathetic is what the party has become.
The slogan should be let's build more jails and pass the ammo please.
Republicans are always willing to do things the right way. What problem could an honest citizen have with using an I.D.? - we all have driver's licenses. Republicans are always willing to do what it takes to protect our country and our rights from those that would seek to cheat or harm. Our system deserves to have it's integrity protected. I don't see the harm in voting with integrity. Let's stop letting dead people vote and illegal citizens vote.
More big government, it's clear that's what you are all about, except when it comes to your guns. We have voter registration! Maybe if the Secretary of State did her job, the files would be cleaned up!
I want to pass a law that there is a $10,000 fine and mandatory 3 years in jail for voter intimidation. Now that's a proven problem, want to join me? I am sure some of you good Republicans would be serving time.
And of course we want the government to control women's reproductive rights and put them in jail...knowing full well that didn't stop abortions before 1971, it just created another black market industry and hurt women. Shame on you all for your corruption, your unwillingness to truly want to help people. No morals all about greed. Greed Greed and more greed!
Conservatives should not be about putting more government in our lives! Sorry this is NOT a Conservative website.
Voter ID's are just another level of government control! The Secretary of States office should be doing their job.
Get it? Conservatives are NOT about more government control over our lives! Get it? You all are NOT consevatives, you are Bush type zealots. Very, very dfferent form a true Conservative.
We all do not have driver's license's! You live in a very narrow world.
I guess if it's good for you, it must be good for everyone!
A few people here need to realize that in the other states that require a voter ID, there is NO violation of voter rights, it only so that the numerous poll workers can see verify that the person voting is who he claims to be. If you do not have a drivers license the SOS should provide a picture photo ID card free of charge.
I am a Democrat and I believe in the integrity of the vote!
Really? What states? Please name them!
I voted in Missouri for 20 years and they required a photo ID. Before that I voted in Massachusetts and if memory serves, they required a photo ID as well. I could be wrong about Mass., it was along time ago, but I am also certain that MO. is not alone in the requirement.
Not Massachusetts. Just the states like Georgia, Florida, Indiana where these are all being challenged. These ID's are known to supress the votes of people who ae poor.
Any takers for the madatory jail term and fine for those who are found to supress voters? Any real momentum for doing the right thing?
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