TX's repub Sec of State office may be up to no good

Keep in mind...it is AGAINST TX state voting laws to ask for a picture ID from a voter.

Found here: http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7214

Link to original blog article:

http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/10/is-that-voter-s.html

It started early yesterday with a seemingly innocuous twitter message I received from a friend, someone who is an attorney and politically active. My friend wrote, "is there a new law requiring scanning driver's license before you vote to make sure it matches voters id?"

(snip)
First, I asked my friend for more information. She had gone to the early voting location, where she was surprised to hear poll workers say that they required a driver's license. Once in the voting room, poll workers scanned the back of the driver's license.

(snip)


However, I know websites are not always per se up to date (although I would expect the SOS Elections Division to be up to the minute up to date right now) so I decided to call and double-check. I spoke first with a man who identified himself only as "a temp who has only been here for four weeks." He transferred me to the Customer Service department in the Secretary of State Election Division. The woman I spoke to there identified herself only as a customer service agent. Following is a transcript of that call:

She said it is statewide a new rule to provide a driver's license to vote and that every polling place should be asking for a driver's license, and scanning it.

She said they are not collecting the data, are just using it to match you with your voter data--confirming your ID.


ME: What if you don't have a TDL?

HER: You need another form of official photo ID.

ME: I thought that referendum failed.

HER: Well okay it doesn't have to be a photo ID but a passport or a bank statement or something like that. They need to match your name and face with their data.

ME: I was unaware the rules had changed. I've always been able to show my voter certificate and sign the book and vote. Can I not just use my certificate and vote? I have to sign in. If there's not a new law, that should still work, right?
She conceded that YES, they could compare signatures, but emphasized this was to protect voting integrity and protect me, make sure nobody voted as me.

ME:That doesn't seem likely. How would someone suddenly be able to do that? Why are you thinking that's going to happen?

HER: Well we're all trying to keep up with the massive number of new voters, and of course with the recent catastrophe...

ME: What catastrophe?

HER:The hurricane! (she said like "you moron")

ME: I know all about that hurricane, I live on the coast. What about the hurricane and voting?

HER:Well...all those records...

ME: What records? What about the records?

HER: So many were, you know, in the hurricane.

ME: Are you saying vital important records of people including their voting information were lost or destroyed in Ike? I didn't hear anything about that!

HER: Well, they might have been, you know...

was giving everyone flyers that said if you have your Voter Registration Card then you are not required to show ID. It did say that if this was the first federal election than you would have to show an ID but they were not requiring ID for everyone.

Never have been asked for it, and I've been voting in Texas for 35 yrs!

by the TX SOS office itself..perhaps this is NOT a widespread problem in TX but the fact that the office that is supposed be THE place to call for accurate voter information failed to GIVE accurate information. They just didn't expect the caller to KNOW the voting laws. Hopefully they get the office workers to get their act together before they talk to more voters!

From Burnt Orange blog entry link in OP:


So to sum up -- the Texas Secretary of State's office are pushing and advertising (though, to be fair, not implementing) that (1) you need a photo ID to vote, (2) voting records were lost in Hurricane Ike, and (3) there is something weird with new voters that could cost us the integrity of the election. No actual substance. No rule. No law. Just fear-mongering by the Texas Secretary of State

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Link over in the TX forum about DL issues.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=180&topic_id=54123&mesg_id=54161