The “Keep Texans from Voting” Act

Passing this along.....

The “Keep Texans from Voting” Act

The effect of HB 1706 would be state-sanctioned voter suppression.


The Texas Democratic Party wants you to contact the members of the House Elections Committee now about this very BAD bill. The e-mail addresses of committee members appear at the end of this discussion

HB 1706 would create some of the most restrictive voting laws in the nation - and for no good reason. This bill is not based on evidence of fraud – there have been no hearings documenting such. This bill is a "solution" that will cause problems where none exist today.

Under current law, if a voter presents a valid voter registration card that matches the name and address on precinct voter list, they are allowed to vote without any additional form of I.D. If a voter does not have a registration card because they left it at home, for example, there are a number of legally acceptable forms of number of ID, including some that are not photo ID’s, that may be used by an election official to establish the voter’s identity as the person on the precinct poll roster.

HB 1706 would require that a voter show a picture identification or two forms on non-picture identification in order to vote. If a voter cannot meet these requirements, the voter could be allowed to vote provisionally or the voter would have to go home to retrieve the necessary ID and come back to cast a regular ballot.

HB 1706 would require that voters who cast provisional ballots accepted by the early voting ballot board must provide one photo identification or two non-picture identifications within 5 days after the election.


How HB 1706 Could Suppress Voting – Practical Problems

Many voters could be encouraged to - or would just decide to - cast provisional ballots instead of going home to get the required ID and taking even more time to vote.
Most voters are not informed that only a regular ballot is certain to count, and that most provisional ballots do not
Many “provisional voters” would not take the time to meet the onerous new provision in HB 1706 - that they would have to provide the county acceptable ID within five days, especially if the results of the higher profile elections were already known, although their votes could have an impact on a close down ballot election.
This “after election day” provisional ballot ID requirement is a particularly offensive idea that would require legitimate voters to act twice to prove they had the right to vote once.
Many election officials already are confused about voter ID requirements, and no doubt they would improperly demand by a photo ID even if the voter provided two other acceptable forms of ID, denying regular ballots to eligible voters.
Certain voters are more likely to be denied regular ballots because the address on a photo ID differs from an address where they are legitimately registered to vote.
The elderly, renters and working families who move more often, college students and newly registered voters are less likely to have additional ID - and often do not change the address on a photo or paper ID until it's time for renewal.
Because election judges have been known to improperly ask about conflicting addresses on photo ID's and voter registration cards under current law, the practical effect of HB 1706 would cause more voters to be denied a regular ballot even if they have a valid voter registration card for the precinct where they live.
Elderly voters who have enough difficulty getting to the polls on election day – and elderly voters who vote by mail – could be denied the right to vote a regular ballot when they attempt to show up at the polls or vote a mail ballot like they always have. These voters are also less likely to follow the cumbersome follow-up procedure to “prove” the right to have a provisional ballot count.


Other Key Arguments: HB 1706 is a “Solution” for a Problem that Doesn’t Exist

HB 1706 supporters will argue about preventing fraud and protecting “legitimate” voters. However, recent elections provide no statistics or evidence of such problems that show a substantial problem fraud.
A very good Texas case study is the 2004 HD 149 Vo – Heflin race. For all the claims about fraud made in the legal contest, there was no evidence of systematic voter fraud and only one voter was found to be a non-citizen – and that voter openly checked the box on the registration form identifying himself as a non-citizen.
It is likely that many eligible voters have never had any of the forms of photo ID required by HB 1706 (see the paragraph at the top of page two in the attached DOJ objection to a similar photo ID scheme proposed in Louisiana a decade ago).
For example, a person who does not drive, hasn’t traveled internationally, has no employment-related photo ID, and doesn’t carry a concealed handgun, may not have the proper photo ID to vote. And very few of these eligible voters would carry birth certificates, government-issued mail, etc. to the polls when a normal person would assume a legitimate voter registration card should serve the purpose for which it was intended.
Voter ID should not be equated with the fact you can’t get on a plane without a photo ID. The red alert here is the threat that this bill could deny Texans' their right to vote, not that people trying to vote pose a terrorist threat at the polls. In fact, we are told that a photo ID was not required to vote in Iraq this year.


Please contact the members of the House election Committee now to voice your opposition to this bill. Here are their e-mail addresses.

mary.denny@house.state.tx.us

dwayne.bohac@house.state.tx.us

todd.smith@house.state.tx.us

rafael.anchia@house.state.tx.us

charles.anderson@house.state.tx.us

bryan.hughes@house.state.tx.us

jesse.jones@house.state.tx.us

for voting. We have done it in Florida for years before Jebbie even.

Sure, they can get a picture ID, (alcoholic beverage commission card in some states) and pay for it, but if you don't drink, and when counting dimes, that is a luxury.

Hell, do the check thing for those with no photo ID, or no id at all--have people put their thumbprint on the back of the ballot. If they want to check later, they can roust the guy and compare. I suspect the type of people that would cheat in the first place might have a record, and might not want to put their print on anything, for fear that it would be compared against a database.

I've never had to show ID to vote. I just tell the guy my name and address, and I get a ballot.

It may in fact not be a big deal for you or me. What about retirees who are shut-ins and cannot drive?

But I also see this as something that stands between me and my ballot. The people own the government, not the politicians, not the Civil Service. The people. Government should be moving heaven and earth to make sure that my ballot is collected and counted. No measures that could in any manner impede my voting should be enacted, unless it is to correct a problem that could affect my voting rights.

My two cents.

B.

You're right, it would make election fraud and seelective vote suppression EASIER. What a travesty.

According to accounts of those who watched the first day of the Carter/James Baker privately appointed commission on election reform, the emphasis of most of the panel/guests was on stuff like making sure the voters present IDs -- that kind of thing.

When Republicans talk about election reform, they talk about VOTER FRAUD. Meaning, the voters will try to cheat to vote.

They somehow fail to mention the myriad other problems, of course with DREs and unrecountability being rather large.

I would like to see a simple system set up. It's so simple, that it won't be done. That would be, have voting on ONE DAY ONLY. Each person who comes through gets a particular finger inked, with ink that won't wash off for a day or so. That prevents voting twice. This was done in Venezuela.

I don't object to some form of ID or authentication, such as a voter registration card or a utility bill in one's name.

But, I remember the days when I would go to bars, and white people would be waved in, and black people would be required to have 2 or 3 forms of picture ID.

The ID discrimination scam was done in 2004 on tribal reservations -- if memory serves, it was in South Dakota, and prevented some Native Americans from voting.

in my precinct will react when this passes? As the democratic precinct chair I wonder how they will react when I insist on enforcing the rules?

They'll go nuts since we're outnumbered by over 10-1...:evilgrin:

Even so, this is a bad idea.

Via Quorum Report :
Via Latinos for Texas, via Quorum Report

http://www.latinosfortexas.com/blog/index.php?p=110
Eleven Democrats sign letter to block voter picture ID bill

As the Texas House tries once again to pass HB1706 by Mary Denny, Senate Democrats have signed its death warrant.

The bill would require photo id or two alternatives in combination with a voter registration card in order to vote. Democrats complain that the bill creates undue obstacles to voting for the elderly and students, among others. They also argue that this is part of a nationwide Republican effort to disenfranchise voters.

Senate Democrats have rendered the next several hours of House debate moot by signing a letter indicating that they will not vote to suspend the rules in order to bring up the bill. Senate requires 2/3s of the 31 members to vote to suspend before a bill can be heard.
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Woo hoo!! Way to block Senate Dems. (except for Armbrister of course)

Sonia

I see it this way.... I think the Democratic Party should educate the public on Voting Procedures....(including proper identification, registration procedures and deadlines and potential intimidation ploys) I think that if a responsible voter wants to make sure that their vote is counted, would make sure to put the Voter Registration card in the wallet especially when suspicious of voter fraud by the establishment. I think that is the way to go.

And what are people doing without any form of photo ID??? Come on, you can't do lots of things without one.

I'm sorry, but when I am heading to the voting place, I make sure that I have appropriate documentation/identification. I have done so in voting in 3 states.

THat in no way means that I endorse Federal IDs which include a host of potential problems.