SB84- Eliminates provisional ballots!

[MGKrebs]

Also restricts acceptable ID to government issued ID's only.

This is outrageous.

Even if the government makes a mistake and doesn't get you on the voter roll, you would not be allowed to cast a ballot.

Even if the government can't process new voter registrations fast enough to get everybody on the voter roll by election day (which happened a lot in 2004) you would not get to cast a ballot.

And government ID only? A drivers license is a government ID, and I have one, of course. But I respect the right of someone to live in, and vote in, this country, without having to obtain a government issued picture ID.

Here's the text:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/fulltext/sb84.htm

And it's in this committee (includes contact info):
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/org_detail.pl?Com=gasslgog

Letter is best, fax is good, email is better than nothing.
We are reduced to fighing for our basic rights. We must oppose those who try to oppress us and support those who have the courage to fight with us.

PS- If you write to Kasim Reed, you might also thank him for voting against the tort reform bill (which passed anyway of course).

[noamnety]

1. If I read that right

It's not doing away with all provisional ballots. It's doing away with provisional ballots for those individuals that don't have a govt. issued photo ID. In other words, if the government screws up and doesn't get you on the voter rolls, that won't prevent you from being able to cast a provisional ballot.

If you oppose that, fine, write a letter. But it's important to get the background facts right in the letter, so you don't lose credibility.

[MGKrebs]

2. You are correct.

I'll see if I can edit that.

It's bad enough still.
And I want to keep an eye out for another bill that modifies code section 21-2-418.

[MGKrebs]

3. Update.

First, let me apologize for overreacting after I first read this bill.
Upon further study, it's still pretty bad though. And I can't for the life of me figure out why they feel this is a "problem" that needs to be addressed. Are there people showing up with utility bills as ID and then fraudulently voting? So I smell something fishy anyway.

Nevertheless, here is a link to more info about taking action on this bill.

http://www.georgiafordemocracy.org/actionalerts/index.cfm?fuseaction=ActionDetail&actionalertid=3