The GOP war on voting

[Gaspar]

Someone who meets the requirements set out in state law to be legally registered to vote.

You said "Someone who meets" instead of "Anyone who meets."  So we are talking about an individual who meets the state's requirements to vote.

Lets just look at Oklahoma:

Be at least 18 years old.
Be an Oklahoma resident.
Be a U.S. citizen.
Not be a convicted felony within the time period equal to the original judgment and sentence, even if you are no longer incarcerated.
Have not been legally determined to be incapacitated.
Have not been legally determined to be partially incapacitated with a prohibition on voting

At the polls, by what measure does a polling official determine any and each of these requirements?

[nathanm]

At the polls, by what measure does a polling official determine any and each of these requirements?

At the polls, it's very simple: Is their name in the book? Does the address they supply match the address associated with the name? Does the signature match the exemplar? It's not up to the poll worker to decide who is or is not eligible. It is up to them to figure out if the prospective voter is in the big book. If there is a question regarding eligibility, you give them a provisional ballot and have the election board figure it out later.

[Gaspar]

At the polls, it's very simple: Is their name in the book? Does the address they supply match the address associated with the name? Does the signature match the exemplar? It's not up to the poll worker to decide who is or is not eligible. It is up to them to figure out if they're in the big book. If there is a question regarding eligibility, you give them a provisional ballot and have the election board figure it out later.

Nothing you have mentioned identifies the "individual" as a registered voter.  In fact, in a big city all you need to do is write down a few hundred names on the buzz boxes as you walk apartment buildings and you are ready to hit the polling places.  Typically you would have about a 50% chance of voting for someone who simply does not participate in elections, probably more like an 70% chance in dense urban areas where voter participation is lower.  You also have almost NO chance of being discovered, unless you hit the same polling place twice.  Mobilize a small army of these serial voters and you can sway an election.  From the little acorn a mighty oak grows.

In many states we currently have NO voter security.  In the states that have instituted voter ID laws we haven't encountered any of the backlash that the liberals said we would.  In fact, in most cases voter participation increased because registration was more automated.

You are free to challenge my Libertarian principals, and there are probably many Libertarians that indeed would have issue with voter id laws, but logically it must be a function of national security. The sanctity of the election process is every bit as important as the security of the nation.  Government only has two primary responsibilities.  One is to protect the republic for threats foreign and domestic, and the other is to protect the individual from being harmed (having his rights infringed upon) by other individuals.  This issue actually consumes some aspects of both of these primary responsibilities.

[Townsend]

Strange how frightened some seem of rampant voter fraud.

Are the churches bussing their folks to multiple locations to vote more than once?

I'd be much more concerned of the fraud after the votes have been cast..."Hey, where'd those ballots go?"  (Hours later)  "Oh, there they are."

[nathanm]

Gassy, if it's so easy, it should be easy to collect evidence of this actually happening on more than a sporadic basis. Yet there isn't any.

Also, I'm not sure what the connection between voter ID and automation of registration is. One does not require the other.

[Gaspar]

Are the churches bussing their folks to multiple locations to vote more than once?

I'd be much more concerned of the fraud after the votes have been cast..."Hey, where'd those ballots go?"  (Hours later)  "Oh, there they are."

Actually, quite valid concerns.  I find it infuriating that we can lose and discover ballots so conveniently.

[Townsend]

Actually, quite valid concerns.  I find it infuriating that we can lose and discover ballots so conveniently.

Just happened here, in Tulsa, very recently.

The lost ballots.  Not the churches attempting massive voter fraud...that I know of.

[Gaspar]

Gassy, if it's so easy, it should be easy to collect evidence of this actually happening on more than a sporadic basis. Yet there isn't any.

Also, I'm not sure what the connection between voter ID and automation of registration is. One does not require the other.

In most voter ID states your registration is updated with your DL or when you update the address on your ID.  The secondary process of registering to vote is eliminated.

[nathanm]

In most voter ID states your registration is updated with your DL or when you update the address on your ID.  The secondary process of registering to vote is eliminated.

That's got nothing to do with requiring ID to vote. This is what you're looking for.

[TeeDub]

http://www.ok.gov/elections/Candidates_&_Elections/Facts_about_Proof_of_Identity_for_Voting_in_Oklahoma/

[Conan71]

Yes, what a complete hardship.  If you register to vote in Oklahoma, they provide you with a free ID.  I guess Nate must vote on a provisional ballot since he's got an OCD issue about carrying an ID.

In addition, voters may use the voter identification card they received by mail from the County Election Board when they registered to vote.  The law allows use of the voter identification card even though it does not include a photograph or an expiration date.

If you do not have or if you refuse to show proof of identity, you may only vote by provisional ballot.

Voters who cast provisional ballots are required to fill out and sign an affidavit that explains why their provisional ballot should be counted.  Provisional ballots are sealed inside special envelopes and are not put through the voting device.  After election day, County Election Board officials will investigate the information provided by the voter on the affidavit and either will approve the provisional ballot for counting or will reject it based on the outcome of that investigation.

[nathanm]

Yes, what a complete hardship.  If you register to vote in Oklahoma, they provide you with a free ID.  I guess Nate must vote on a provisional ballot since he's got an OCD issue about carrying an ID.

Oklahoma is not most states that have passed a voter ID law. Most of them don't allow the registration card to be used as ID because they absolutely require a state issued photo ID. In Texas you can use a CCW permit. Not a student ID or employee ID or voter registration card, but a CCW permit is OK.

[Townsend]

Now the Republicans are fighting each other in Kansas.

Kansas conservative Republicans are winning over other GOP candidates by calling them "Democrats" and accusing them of working together with Democrats.

Looks like Oklahoma values are oozing North.

Conservatives Win In Kansas GOP Senate Primary

In Kansas, there's been a battle between moderate and conservative Republicans over control of the state Senate. The state has moved in an increasingly conservative direction over the past two decades.

http://kwgs.com/post/conservatives-win-kansas-gop-senate-primary

[carltonplace]

The middle is not a safe place for a Republican (whatever that means) these days. Collaboration, Compromise, Cooperation are curse words to the T-Party.

[Townsend]

The middle is not a safe place for a Republican (whatever that means) these days. Collaboration, Compromise, Cooperation are curse words to the T-Party.

Big ol' group of Corky's.