Can any one on the forum give me a good logical reason we should not have voter ID. Forget the political nonsense. Also how about a logical reason we should not have paper ballots that can be checked and recounted if necessary. Computer voter machines can be hacked.
When I go to where I vote I need to check in giving my name and address and they mark me off as having checked in to vote. Why isn’t that enough?
I am fully in favor of voter ID as long as the process to get that ID does not cost or burden the voter. I am DEFINITELY in favor of paper ballots for the reasons you list.
As long as it's not the voter. If the requirement proves to be onerous or imposes a cost on the voter then it amounts to a poll tax. The demand for strict voter ID must carry with it the willingness to alleviate any burden on the voter to get it. The failure/refusal to alleviate that burden moves the reasoning for demanding the change from the realm of election security and into voter suppression.
So you think some random person is going to somehow, A) Know my exact name and B) my exact address? Walk me through this scenario you have conjured up in your head.
What? Again...how is some random person who supposedly walks in to vote illegally going to know the name and address of someone on the list? Oh and also know that the person they are pretending to be hasn’t already been crossed off the list as having voted?
You know, I would love to say "those demanding the IDs." As in make the Republicans take the money out of their campaign coffers to pay for their program. Of course it is the taxpayer. Who will pay. Premise still stands. If the ID is to be made mandatory then it is incumbent upon the part requiring the ID to ensure that the voter is not burdened by the requirement. I don't see what you're arguing about. I'm in full agreement. It seems though that your agenda goes beyond just voter security. The relative costs would be nominal. PARTICULARLY in comparison to the cost of fighting this all out in court again and again. Here in Florida if you have a DL or State Id you've already gone through the process. Let's be generous and say the ID thing applies to 5% of the electorate and the average cost to the State to provide those IDs is $50. Here in Florida it would cost about $33M. End the problem forever. If it's about security the solution is easy. If the solution isn't easy then it's not about security.
You made the claim it should be free for the voter and I just called you on it as it won’t be free to the voter. Our tax dollars will pay for it. I just wanted to clear that up.
I agree that voters should be able to certify their identity and addresses, and that electronic voting is less secure than paper ballots. Here in Canada, we use paper ballots and voter ID, and there is no significant perception that voting is difficult or unfair. Most people get a card mailed to their address by Elections Canada with their election and poll information, which they present at the polling place on election day. Most of the addresses are linked through people's income tax returns and/or the public health insurance system. If you choose not to do that, you have to re-register each time you change your address. If you don't get a card from Elections Canada, you can present photo ID and proof of address, such as a utility bill or bank or credit card statement addressed to you. Returning Officers for each constituency are responsible for ensuring that polling places have sufficient capacity to handle all registered voters on election day without significant delays. Ballots for each poll -- typically a few hundred voters -- are counted within an hour or two after the polls close, then relayed up the chain of command to the Returning Officer for each constituency. Scrutineers from the parties that have enough volunteers observe, record, and certify the count for each poll, so the totals can be verified by independent observers right down to the totals for each individual poll. The election cycle is very short, less than two months, but it doesn't seem to be a problem to get everything ready on time. There are strict election spending limits, limited tax-deductible donations to candidates and parties, and significant public funding of parties based on their vote totals.
Huh? The fact that something is funded by taxes doesn't mean it can't be free to those who get it. Consider swimming lessons for children funded by a tax on yachts. The yacht buyers and yacht makers pay the tax, but the kids get the swimming lessons for free. Clear?
Since you bring it up, I never said "free." That was you. I said does not "cost or burden the voter." There are people who vote but don't pay taxes. There are people who pay taxes and don't vote. But nothing is free. You want strict voter ID? Then pay for it. Unless, of course, you can provide a reason why the government should not have to pay for imposing a burden on the voter.