ID Should Be Needed

As of Thursday, August 2, 2012

We all seem to agree that voting is one of America’s greatest privileges and should be taken seriously. Having some proof that your vote is legal is reasonable and should be the law.

Recent articles in The Pilot by both Kevin Smith and Paul Ericson seem to say that minorities and older people can’t obtain the necessary ID to vote.

These same people, in order to receive government assistance, e.g., unemployment, welfare, food stamps, and even at the local food coalition, have to show some ID, and these agencies do not do home delivery. The people in question must make an effort to get there to get some government assistance.

Why, then, is it any harder to have some legal ID to prove that you are a citizen and deserve to vote?

Frank Hayes

Seven Lakes

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alladat1 9 months, 3 weeks ago

"Recent articles in The Pilot by both Kevin Smith and Paul Ericson seem to say that minorities and older people can’t obtain the necessary ID to vote." Mr. Hayes goes on to assume that minorities and older people are what he calls "these same people" which implies that most of the minorities and elderly are on welfare.

JimRussell44 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Mr. Hays, if "these same people " are showing ID to obtain private and government assistance, then can we conclude that they have the necessary ID to vote and are, therefore, not the people being discussed in the articles by Mr.Smith and Mr. Ericson.

pgericson 9 months, 3 weeks ago

@Frank Importantly, voting is a right and not a privilege. Secondly, I do not believe one needs a photo ID to gain access to the benefits you described. If multiple forms of proof were acceptable for voting, as they are in North Carolina, there would not be a problem. The issue is requiring a specific ID -say a driver's license- for voting, which many people do not currently have, and putting the burden on the individual to obtain this ID. As an example, the Florida law requires a state driver's license or state ID, but a student ID issued by the University of Florida or any other University cannot be used.

bufordsplay 9 months, 3 weeks ago

No ID, no vote period! The Democrats have already shown their desire to steal elections through fraud. Acorn sent out over 1 million voter regitration cards in 2008 and over a third were rejected as being fraudulent. They tried to steal the 2000 election and I believe this election is going to be much more chaotic. If Obama loses this election he will not hand over power with out a fight in the courts......mark my words.

bufordsplay 9 months, 3 weeks ago

I'll tell you something else. If someone is healthy and of working age and is not in school and does not have an I.D. they should be denied the right to vote. They are contributing ZERO so they shoul not take part in the decision process and to do so is suicide which we are now witnessing.

alladat1 9 months, 3 weeks ago

The rules according to buford - who needs the constitution.

MikeNC 9 months, 3 weeks ago

bufordsplay 1 hour, 30 minutes ago ...No ID, no vote period! The Democrats have already shown their desire to steal elections through fraud. Acorn sent out over 1 million voter regitration cards in 2008 and over a third were rejected as being fraudulent. If Obama loses this election he will not hand over power with out a fight in the courts

There will probably be some of them head winds trying to keep the new and improved ACORN & the Democratic Party doing what they do best....Attempt to Shape the Election by whatever means necessary. The Democratic skewed polls of this past week are just an example.

by MikeNC

alladat1 9 months, 3 weeks ago

WOW - BOLD TYPE - I'M IMPRESSED.

MikeNC 9 months, 3 weeks ago

alladat1 2 hours, 22 minutes ago ..The rules according to buford - who needs the constitution.

How about you and pgericson cite the constitution where it explicitly guarantees voting as a right as it does for free speech or right to bear arms, etc ....Mike