Texas Voter ID Law Discriminates Against Women, Students and Minorities

[Straight Shooter]

Texas’s new voter ID law got off to a rocky start this week as early voting began for state constitutional amendments. The law was previously blocked as discriminatory by the federal courts under the Voting Rights Act in 2012, until the Supreme Court invalidated Section 4 of the VRA in June. (The Department of Justice has filed suit against the law under Section 2 of the VRA.) Now we are seeing the disastrous ramifications of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Based on Texas’ own data, 600,000 to 800,000 registered voters don’t have the government-issued ID needed to cast a ballot, with Hispanics 46 to 120 percent more likely than whites to lack an ID. But a much larger segment of the electorate, particularly women, will be impacted by the requirement that a voter’s ID be “substantially similar” to their name on the voter registration rolls. According to a 2006 study by the Brennan Center for Justice, a third of all women have citizenship documents that do not match their current legal name.

Just yesterday, this happened (via Rick Hasen), from KiiiTV in South Texas:

“What I have used for voter registration and for identification for the last 52 years was not sufficient yesterday when I went to vote,” 117th District Court Judge Sandra Watts said.

Watts has voted in every election for the last forty-nine years. The name on her driver’s license has remained the same for fifty-two years, and the address on her voter registration card or driver’s license hasn’t changed in more than two decades. So imagine her surprise when she was told by voting officials that she would have to sign a “voters affidavit” affirming she was who she said she was.

“Someone looked at that and said, ‘Well, they’re not the same,’” Watts said.

The difference? On the driver’s license, Judge Watts’s maiden name is her middle name. On her voter registration, it’s her actual middle name. That was enough under the new, more strict voter fraud law, to send up a red flag.

“This is the first time I have ever had a problem voting,” Watts said.

The disproportionate impact of the law on women voters could be a major factor in upcoming Texas elections, especially now that Wendy Davis is running for governor in 2014.

Moreover, the state is doing very little to make sure that voters who don’t have an ID can get one. As I mentioned, 600–800,000 registered voters don’t have an acceptable voter ID, but according to the Dallas Morning News “only 41 of the new cards were issued by DPS [Department of Public Safety] as of last week.”

Getting a valid photo ID in Texas can be far more difficult than one assumes. To obtain one of the government-issued IDs now needed to vote, voters must first pay for underlying documents to confirm their identity, the cheapest option being a birth certificate for $22 (otherwise known as a “poll tax”); there are no DMV offices in eighty-one of 254 counties in the state, with some voters needing to travel up to 250 miles to the closest location. Counties with a significant Hispanic population are less likely to have a DMV office, while Hispanic residents in such counties are twice as likely as whites to not have the new voter ID (Hispanics in Texas are also twice as likely as whites to not have a car). “A law that forces poorer citizens to choose between their wages and their franchise unquestionably denies or abridges their right to vote,” a federal court wrote last year when it blocked the law.

Texas has set up mobile voter ID units in twenty counties to help people obtain an ID, but has issued new IDs to only twenty voters at the sites so far.

Supporters of the voter ID law, such as Governor Rick Perry, argue that it’s necessary to stop the rampant menace of voter fraud. But there’s no evidence that voter impersonation fraud is a problem in Texas. According to the comprehensive News21 database, there has been only one successful conviction for voter impersonation—I repeat, only one—since 2000.

Texas has the distinction of being one of the few states that allows you to vote with a concealed weapons permit, but not a student ID. Provisions like these suggest that the law was aimed less at stopping voter fraud and more at stopping the changing demographics of the state. Based on what we’re seeing thus far, the law might better be described as the Republican Self-Preservation Act.

http://www.thenation.com/blog/17679...inates-against-women-students-and-minorities#

 

[georges]

Battling order against voter fraud is a necessity

 

[Mayhem]

http://board.freeones.com/showthrea...ing-It-More-Difficult-For-Texas-Women-To-Vote

And georges, once again there is no voter fraud. So shut the fuck up. Hick.

 

[Mariahxxx]

at least Philbert will have a harder time voting for his extremist candidates.

 

[georges]

http://board.freeones.com/showthrea...ing-It-More-Difficult-For-Texas-Women-To-Vote

And georges, once again there is no voter fraud. So shut the fuck up. Hick.

Don't tell me to shut the fuck up, you are not my boss. Go play with your Obama whining muppets.

 

[Mayhem]

It's hilarious that you choose now to use the term "whining". While you're whining about a nonexistent voter fraud issue.

 

[Jack Davenport]

http://board.freeones.com/showthrea...ing-It-More-Difficult-For-Texas-Women-To-Vote

And georges, once again there is no voter fraud. So shut the fuck up. Hick.

Ahem... is this mic on? *tap* *tap*tap* testing 1 2 3 test test testing...oneee twoo ok thanks... YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON!!!!!!

 

[Mr. Daystar]

I have no problem with the voter ID, but I do have a problem with the difficulty in obtaining one. If they want this law, and they want it to work, without law suites and interference, they should make sure EVERY DMV is capable of doing what is needed, and the fee's should be reduced, if not abated completely. I do however find it very hard to believe that a judge doesn't the common sense to have EVERY official document she possesses, to have the exact same information on it. When my wife and I got married, she changed everything relatively easily...aside from the slacker attitude of the DMV workers. As far as discriminatory goes, just because someone doesn't have a car, doesn't mean they can't take a bus. If they would make the ID's attainable at every DMV in the state, they would be close enough to everyone, and if they reduced the cost, money would be less of an issue....as far as those on unemployment, or welfare, as long as they can prove who they are, make it free. If you are here on a visa, or illegally, you shouldn't be trying to vote.

 

[Mayhem]

Ahem... is this mic on? *tap* *tap*tap* testing 1 2 3 test test testing...oneee twoo ok thanks... YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON!!!!!!

You want to put down the coke straw long enough to show an election where your insidious voter fraud played any role whatsoever?

 

[Jack Davenport]

You want to put down the coke straw long enough to show an election where your insidious voter fraud played any role whatsoever?

See election, presidential 1960. Now go fuck yourself fat boy.

 

[Mariahxxx]

id say that 2000 election had a lot of voter related fraud as well.

 

[Mayhem]

See election, presidential 1960. Now go fuck yourself fat boy.

Well shit. At least you didn't go all the way back to 1860. You're a real bastion of relevance around here. The issues of 1960 have absolutely no connection to the current issue, and you know it. Comparing political machinery to race-based voter ID is ridiculous, which you also know. And if you want to bring up Kennedy/Nixon,...counselor...show me the indictments and convictions. Show me what THE LAW says about 1960.

Again...counselor....put down the straw, put down the spoon, take a couple weeks for the rehab that you desperately need and come back here with your head screwed on right.

 

[Jack Davenport]

Well shit. At least you didn't go all the way back to 1860. You're a real bastion of relevance around here. The issues of 1960 have absolutely no connection to the current issue, and you know it. Comparing political machinery to race-based voter ID is ridiculous, which you also know. And if you want to bring up Kennedy/Nixon,...counselor...show me the indictments and convictions. Show me what THE LAW says about 1960.

Again...counselor....put down the straw, put down the spoon, take a couple weeks for the rehab that you desperately need and come back here with your head screwed on right.

Never touch the stuff. I am just naturally mean as a snake as you are as dumb as a stump. The election of 1960 had so many accounts of voter fraud that Kennedy fluffer Chris Matthews acknowledges that it was rampant. The process of positively identifying a voter strikes at the very core of voter fraud and why dumbfuck hacks like you are against it. Most election boards still use the same basic record keeping today as they did 50 years ago and is why you are for the status quo. You truly are one of the dumbest sacks of shit I have seen grace a message board or anywhere actually.

 

[Straight Shooter]

See election, presidential 1960. Now go fuck yourself fat boy.

Are you talking about the allegations of Rich Daley stealing IL's votes for Kennedy?

 

[Jack Davenport]

Yeah that and dead people voting. You know typical Chicago elections. And yes it did happen. Even liberal pundits acknowledge that.

 

[Mayhem]

And how does any of this apply to the current situation where your racist, hillbilly Party is trying to keep bonafide Americans from voting? You want admissions? Your Party admitted directly that keeping the poor and minorities from voting helps them win office.
"Feedom for All.....unless we don't like you" is the GOP Mantra. And 50 year old pseudo examples don't address it.

And yes asshole, I'm convinced that you have become a coke-head with your lawyer money. Your high-tide, low-tide mood swings, your ongoing temper tantrums any time things don't go your way, not to mention you sitting up all night a couple weeks ago just waiting for my next reply so you could go off half-cocked even more. So you're either a coke-head or you're an entirely obnoxious cretin with ingrained psychological issues. Which label do you prefer?

 

[Jack Davenport]

Are you really THAT stupid wait! Yes you are. Let's try it the other way Einstein. Since you are the one that claims that it doesn't happen and all we want is concrete identification the onus is on you. Prove that it doesn't exist. I am willing to work with you. Now don't go pulling out your crutch the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos . I deal in real evidence . Not some half baked pull it out of your ass democrat facts but indisputable evidence that I am wrong. You are the one that responds to comments and threads that you disagree with by doing nothing but throwing insults. You did it with any conservative. Yesterday with Georges by telling him to shut the fuck up. In the past with Sammy who by the way, turns out was right more times than you ever hope to be. Now you start your shit with me. I don't know if your tactics have worked for you in the past but they don't work with me. A loud mouth liberal with a scorched earth approach doesn't work with me. I don't scare or back down easily motherfucker and if you want to keep this at a level of name calling I can oblige you. There are plenty of posters here that hold the same views as you that don't draw my ire because they can articulate their P0V articulately. When a motherfucka is an asshat like you are I can return fire harder than you can bring it. You will never win an exchange of ideas with me becavse frankly you bring nothing to the table. How many times a I going to have to beat you down before you realize that? Oh that's right the answer is never because you are incapable of it and lack basic comprehension. Any moderator paying attention is fully aware who is bringing the douchebaggery to our discussions and it ain't me. Now I have apologized for crossing a line a couple of weeks ago but that is where the apologies end. I still reserve the right to call you any name that fits and quite a few of them are apropos. So if you want to tangle with me on this board constantly then bring it boy! Like my dad used to say, if you're going to be a bear, be a motherfucking Grizzly Bear. So give it your best shot son.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Are you really THAT stupid wait! Yes you are. Let's try it the other way Einstein. Since you are the one that claims that it doesn't happen and all we want is concrete identification the onus is on you. Prove that it doesn't exist. I am willing to work with you. Now don't go pulling out your crutch the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos . I deal in real evidence . Not some half baked pull it out of your ass democrat facts but indisputable evidence that I am wrong. You are the one that responds to comments and threads that you disagree with by doing nothing but throwing insults. You did it with any conservative. Yesterday with Georges by telling him to shut the fuck up. In the past with Sammy who by the way, turns out was right more times than you ever hope to be. Now you start your shit with me. I don't know if your tactics have worked for you in the past but they don't work with me. A loud mouth liberal with a scorched earth approach doesn't work with me. I don't scare or back down easily motherfucker and if you want to keep this at a level of name calling I can oblige you. There are plenty of posters here that hold the same views as you that don't draw my ire because they can articulate their P0V articulately. When a motherfucka is an asshat like you are I can return fire harder than you can bring it. You will never win an exchange of ideas with me becavse frankly you bring nothing to the table. How many times a I going to have to beat you down before you realize that? Oh that's right the answer is never because you are incapable of it and lack basic comprehension. Any moderator paying attention is fully aware who is bringing the douchebaggery to our discussions and it ain't me. Now I have apologized for crossing a line a couple of weeks ago but that is where the apologies end. I still reserve the right to call you any name that fits and quite a few of them are apropos. So if you want to tangle with me on this board constantly then bring it boy! Like my dad used to say, if you're going to be a bear, be a motherfucking Grizzly Bear. So give it your best shot son.

Ok, then can you give evidence of widespread voter fraud that doesn't come from pull it out of you ass conservative facts?

 

[Jack Davenport]

He made the claim. I said I was willing to consider the evidence. Chop chop!

 

[georges]

Ok, then can you give evidence of widespread voter fraud that doesn't come from pull it out of you ass conservative facts?

You should stop ass kissing and polishing Obama notrauma's shoes all the damn fucking time