Republican Admits Voter ID Laws are About Biasing Elections

[FR7 Baptist]

As state legislatures across the country pass legislation to require voters to present photo ID at the polls, many Democrats and civil rights leaders have protested that voter ID laws disenfranchise people who lack proper identification. Some even claim the laws are designed to intentionally sway elections by suppressing the vote of demographics that tend to vote Democratic (mostly young people and minorities). Republicans, of course, always deny this and say they are merely trying to protect the security of the vote and prevent fraud.

But one of Pennsylvania’s top Republican leaders may have tipped his hand this weekend when he suggested to a meeting of Republican officials that the purpose of voter ID laws is to help his party’s presidential nominee win. PoliticsPA’s Kelly Cernetich quoted state House Majority Leader Mike Turzai at the Republican State Committee meeting:

He mentioned the law among a laundry list of accomplishments made by the GOP-run legislature. “Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it’s done. First pro-life legislation – abortion facility regulations – in 22 years, done. Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done.”

Article Link

 

[mandym]

The op is a great example of why Salon is not credible. In fact I am surprised anyone would use it. Not much different than WND, Time, or The enquirer.

I would suggest that everyone read his words carefully rather than just take the hyped up headline at face value.

The bottom line is the representative did not say what the op is accusing him of.

 

[targus]

"Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done."

Voter ID reduces voting fraud - so Romney will win as opposed to being cheated out of it.

Why do you object to that, Paul?

And what citizen of voting age has no ID?

I mean seriously...

Young people don't have driver's licenses? For real?

And why the assumption on the part of Dems that minorities don't have ID?

Other than racial bigotry what reason is there for believing that minorities are incapable of obtaining a valid ID?

 

[just-want-peace]

Just one more example that many/most/all liberals have their heads stuck where the sun doesn't shine!!:sleep::sleep::sleep:

 

[Crabtownboy]

Wow! I read the OP and responses except for one who I never read. Are you trying to tell us that you are surprised that Republican controlled areas are not and would not try to influence voters and who can vote in a way that would help them.

If they do not do this then they are not smart enough to run for office. Show me any political party that does not try to conduct gerrymandering of districts, or in other ways try to bias an upcoming election in a way that will help them.

I would be astounded if this was not being done. This is not a right wing nor a left wing thing, it is politics.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I don't understand why this is an issue. Voter fraud is rampant and has been rampant - regardless of political party for eons.

Having to present a photo ID won't stop all voter fraud, but it stop some of it.

And why do Democrats feel that young people and minorities are at a disadvantage here? Do minorities not have a driver's license? Do 18-year-olds not have a driver's license?

My mentally handicapped and legally blind brother does not have a driver's license, but when the photo ID requirement came about here, my father took him to the DMV when he had to renew his own license and got my brother a photo ID.

It took all of about 20 minutes.

I just don't understand what any of this has to do with young people and minorities.

 

[targus]

I just don't understand what any of this has to do with young people and minorities.

It's because Democrats split people into groups and then either give away party favors or scare them into being afraid that the evil Republicans are coming to get them.

Young people and minorities are only two of those groups.

 

[mandym]

Wow! I read the OP and responses except for one who I never read. Are you trying to tell us that you are surprised that Republican controlled areas are not and would not try to influence voters and who can vote in a way that would help them.

If they do not do this then they are not smart enough to run for office. Show me any political party that does not try to conduct gerrymandering of districts, or in other ways try to bias an upcoming election in a way that will help them.

I would be astounded if this was not being done. This is not a right wing nor a left wing thing, it is politics.

Nice off topic post.

 

[billwald]

I don't understand why this is an issue in national elections because both parties are owned by the same international corporations. We should all write in "NOTA"

 

[Mexdeaf]

Minorities and young people always manage to acquire alcohol, don't they? It's easier to vote than it is to buy beer- something is wrong with that picture.

 

[Tom Butler]

I live in Kentucky. I also have worked as a poll official in several elections. I can tell you from experience that a primary goal is that every person who's eligible to vote gets to vote if they want to, and everybody who isn't, doesn't. By the way, most of our voting laws were passed under Democrat administrations and Democrat-dominated legislature.

When a person comes into the voting place, the clerk will check to see if his/her name is on the roll. If it is, there are several ways to prove identity. One, any poll worker who knows this person can vouch for him. That happens a lot, since many folks are regular voters. Two, a drivers license or picture ID will work. Three, a Social Security Card will work. Fourth, a Voter Registration card issued when he registered will do.

If a voter comes in and the name is not on the roll, we asked if they recently moved from another precinct. If yes, a phone call will verify it, and they'll fill out a "voter-oath" form, and sign it.

Yes, sometimes it takes time to go through the drill, because many voters come unprepared. But when all's said and done, we have a reasonable assurance that we've done all we can to protect the integrity of the vote.

Prior to each election, a team from the Kentucky secretary of state's office will conduct an orientation in every county for every poll worker. Over and over, we've heard the team leaders say "Go by the book." And "don't do anything that will get us on the front page of the paper."

I don't know how it's done in other states, but I'm pretty proud of Kentucky for its efforts to make sure we have an honest vote.

Finally, if a Voter ID requirement is a hindrance to voting-----------good. It's also a hindrance to voter fraud, which is better.

 

[targus]

One, any poll worker who knows this person can vouch for him. That happens a lot, since many folks are regular voters.

Is the "vouching" by the clerk documented somewhere so if the vote turns out to be fraud someone is held accountable?

Vouching by clerks in itself could be a huge source of voter fraud.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Do y'all remember the story LBJ used to tell about meeting a little kid in a West Texas town who told him that though his father had been dead five years he, the father, had come back and voted for LBJ three times the day before?

Naturally he told it as a joke.

 

[Alcott]

"Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done."

So, get rid of many fraudulant votes and Romney wins. I see nothing wrong with that. As for showing a photo ID where engaging in the acitivity in question does have legal requirements for doing so-- I see nothing wrong with that, either. If requiring votes to be legitimate is "bias," it would drive me away from a party that depends on fraud, if I weren't driven from that party about 30 years ago.

 

[just-want-peace]

Re: the dimocratic opposition to voter ID ---- well, when the reason is so obvious what can you say???

Just in case anyone does not (refuses to--) see the obvious --- it is so much easier to allow the dead/illegals/multiple voters, etc to vote when there is NO ID process to validate a person's legitimacy as a valid voter.

Draw your own conclusions - especially when IDs are required for so much of todays living requirements. :thumbs:

 

[OldRegular]

Article Link

The only way to keep the democrats from stealing the election is through voter ID.

 

[OldRegular]

Do y'all remember the story LBJ used to tell about meeting a little kid in a West Texas town who told him that though his father had been dead five years he, the father, had come back and voted for LBJ three times the day before?

Naturally he told it as a joke.

It really was no joke though; democrats are masters at vote theft.

 

[OldRegular]

Wow! I read the OP and responses except for one who I never read. Are you trying to tell us that you are surprised that Republican controlled areas are not and would not try to influence voters and who can vote in a way that would help them.

If they do not do this then they are not smart enough to run for office. Show me any political party that does not try to conduct gerrymandering of districts, or in other ways try to bias an upcoming election in a way that will help them.

I would be astounded if this was not being done. This is not a right wing nor a left wing thing, it is politics.

It is primarily a left wing thing, vote theft that is. democrats are masters at stealing elections and of course the Chicago crowd are the leaders of the pack.

 

[OldRegular]

I don't understand why this is an issue. Voter fraud is rampant and has been rampant - regardless of political party for eons.

Having to present a photo ID won't stop all voter fraud, but it stop some of it.

And why do Democrats feel that young people and minorities are at a disadvantage here? Do minorities not have a driver's license? Do 18-year-olds not have a driver's license?

My mentally handicapped and legally blind brother does not have a driver's license, but when the photo ID requirement came about here, my father took him to the DMV when he had to renew his own license and got my brother a photo ID.

It took all of about 20 minutes.

I just don't understand what any of this has to do with young people and minorities.

I is just race mongering by the democrats. And of course the young people are easily swayed by the big O!

 

[Tom Butler]

Is the "vouching" by the clerk documented somewhere so if the vote turns out to be fraud someone is held accountable?

Vouching by clerks in itself could be a huge source of voter fraud.

This is a fair and legitimate question.

I trust my fellow poll workers. Most of us worked together for several elections. If somebody really wants to game the system bad enough, I suppose it could be done. But it would take a concerted effort by several people working together to pull it off. Further, there are an equal number of Democrat and Republican poll workers in each precinct. That in itself is a check and balance.

If I vouch for a voter, it is so noted in the register book.

But ultimately all of us were accountable because we all signed the printout of the vote totals.