Very Important - PLEASE read and comment

[OhioBlue]

The new voter ID rules -
the first time they were used was in a special election this year. I don't know what other Counties' experiences are, but in our small, rural, (red) county that has not had voting problems in the past, I heard very, very much frustration by poll workers over the new requirements. (Many people did not know about the requirement, many had drivers' licenses that had old addresses or didn't bring ID and had to vote provisional.)

From the SOS website:
Will I need an ID to Vote?
Yes. Every voter will be required to provide proof of identity before voting. The form of identification that you may use includes your current and valid photo identification card, military identification, copy of utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or government document showing your name and current address. (Note: You cannot use as proof of identification a notice that the board of elections mailed to you.) If you do not have, or fail or refuse to provide, the required proof of identity, you may cast a provisional ballot.

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/VoterInfoGuide.aspx?Section=15

Republicans cannot win in a free, fair, open and honest election. So... what might be the biggest demographic that have drivers' licenses with old addresses or no drivers' license? Maybe lower income people that rent or seniors that have quit driving, moved in with a relative or nursing home? (those more likely to vote Dem)

So... okay - they can vote by provisional - right?
Also from SOS website:
Providing Proof of Identity Within 10 Days After the Election
Before a provisional ballot can be included in the official count of an election, the board of elections must confirm the voter’s eligibility to cast the ballot, as well as the validity of the ballot that was cast. In some cases, a provisional voter can establish his or her eligibility to vote by appearing in person at the board of elections office within 10 days immediately after Election Day and completing the appropriate steps:....
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/VoterInfoGuide.aspx?Section=19

In my mind this is complete and total BS and it is the '04 long lines, lock downs, etc. This is what we all might be bitching about on November 8. We need to get pissed off and active on this issue RIGHT NOW!

What am I going to do? I've sent the BOE 2 e-mails the first asking them about their outreach and the second for specific instructions/handouts for voters. I intend to hand this out during canvasses and available for callers in phone banks. I also want this information available at Dem HQ. As soon as I get the info - I'm forwarding to any Union person I know and encourage them to distribute. I will also take copies to senior centers, assisted living centers and laundry mats. I will also contact the campaigns that I am volunteering for and ask them to make this part of their outreach.

We (Dems) need to move on this yesterday (IMHO). The new requirements need to be front page of every newspaper, on TV, on radio, etc. It is public service to inform voters of voting procedures.

I may be having a bit of a panic attack - I just spoke to a friend - strong dem that moved last year. I asked if he had updated his voter registration, he said yes. I asked if his DL still had his old address - he said yes... why would he update his Dl when he only has to every 4 years and it cost $$... Also - his girl friend doesn't have any utility bills in her name - she moved with him and still has old address on DL. How many people might fit into this category and how many are going to travel to the Co. BOE within 10 days to verify their address??? So.. you think.. they can just provide the last 4 digits of their SSN? Well read the SOS's first statement about acceptable proof - it doesn't mention ssn. And.. when I asked poll workers why they didn't just ask for the last 4 digits of SSN instead of making voters vote provisional - they said they didn't know they could do that.

We need a massive voter education initiative. And.. WE (Dem activists and volunteers) probably have to lead on it now... I do know the Dem candidates are encouraging absentee voting. Have a bunch of applications for absentee voting with you when you canvass, attend events, etc. Also - volunteer for the Jennifer Brunner campaign on her website - I think they have an apparatus in place to facilitate absentee voting - if you don't hear from them, volunteer again and volunteer to phone bank. If you want more info on this program, please pm me. But outside of absentee voting - PLEASE, PLEASE, get the info out about the new ID requirements.

I know this post is long - but I'm really worried about this. Please let me know your thoughts.

[liberal N proud]

1. I often wonder why it is that every time you hear of voter suppression

or disenfranchisement, it always involves a republican official.

Back when the Democrats fixed elections in Chicago, they added voters rather than stopping them.
It is my opinion that if everyone who was eligible to vote was allowed to vote and did vote that the republican party would cease to exist.
Why? - Because no one could get elected.



Republicans can not win with out corruption.

[OhioBlue]

2. Exactly Liberal N Proud

They CANNOT win without ***cheating*** this year and they know - and they knew it 12 months ago! So, now it won't be "cheating" because they changed the damn laws to their favor! We HAVE to be ready for this. We have to anticipate this and we have to have procedures in place to counter it. HUGE Voter education campaigns are necessary. It won't matter how much of a lead we have in polls and public opinion nor will it matter how great our GOTV efforts are if we don't inform our voters of the new requirements.

[OhioBlue]

3. I just asked 4 additional strong to

likely dem voters about their registration and drivers' license addresses. 2 of the 4 didn't have DL addresses that matched Voter registrations - they didn't change their DL b/c of e-check.

right or wrong... that is the truth of the situation.

I did give them voter registration forms to change their address.. but it is only 2!! How may more are there that don't have voter registration addresses that match DL addresses???

[mtnester]

4. This is going to be a DISASTER in November

MOST people, if they change addresses, do NOT make that change on their DL until it becomes time to renew. Why? Anyone who has renewed a license in Ohio knows how fast and speedy and trouble free a trip to the the deputy registrar's office is. And their service hours are fabulous too!

Next...MOST people in the State of Ohio are UNAWARE of this new requirement...and by unaware I mean many may KNOW they need ID...MOST do not know it needs to match the address they have listed on their current voting rolls. My son, who is a very informed voter about politics, issues and candidates, moved since the last election, but lives in the same precinct. He was UNAWARE that his DL had to match the address on the voting rolls. THAT is what most people know.

So, IMO, among THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of voters in Ohio in November, they will whip out their ID's at the precinct they are registered at and SHOULD BE VOTING AT, and have to cast a provisional ballot, which will ultimately, through an extensive court battle, be thrown out and not counted.

THIS is how we will lose in November, and a court BETTER get on this now.

Not to MENTION this REQUIRES a voter to pay a FEE to vote, as neither an Ohio DL or Ohio state ID card ARE FREE...they cost money. I am pretty sure it has to be a photo ID.

Think they will accept my work ID card?

If the courts do NOT thrown this crap out, I predict a loss for the Dems in November. Really.


Edited for some ghastly spelling errors!

[femrap]

13. Are you sure that the DL has to have your

current address? For some reason, I thought Blackwell backed down on this because the state of Ohio doesn't require you to update your address. I could be wrong.

I'll call my BOE tomorrow and find out.

[cmd]

5. I'll begin to hammer this after the Republican special primary on 9/18

This information should be included in every GOTV call we make and every friendly door we knock on.

[OhioBlue]

6. UPDATE

I received information on ID requirements from my County BOE

They stated that a voter can vote a regular election day ballot if their DL has a current **or past address as long as they provide the poll worker with the last 4 digits of their DL number.

So, maybe I'm panicking for nothing - but considering Blackwell is still SOS and the way he handled '04 with confusing directives, partisan tactics to prevent likely Dem voters from voting... I still think we need to be proactive, inform voters and check with local BOE on how they will handle the voter ID requirements, poll worker training and their outreach.

[BillORightsMan]

7. More info here

Election issues still abound in Ohio
By Sibley Arnebeck
Posted on Fri Aug 25, 2006

Confusion over new rules still frustrating good government groups
By Sibley Arnebeck
Posted on Fri Aug 04, 2006

Common Cause Ohio Files Suit Against Voting Bill
By Matt Caruso
Posted on Wed Jul 12, 2006

Common Cause/Ohio joins federal lawsuit over Ohio's restrictive voter registration rules
By Sibley Arnebeck
Posted on Sun Jul 09, 2006

Bob Fitrakis summed up the poison to democracy HB 3 is here:
With new legislation, Ohio Republicans plan holiday burial for American Democracy
by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
December 6, 2005

I'm planning on voting early via absentee ballot at the BoE office using a paper ballot, so as not to trust my ballot to the postal system or any other mishaps.

Since one no longer needs to provide a reason for voting absentee, I recommend everyone take a ride to your county BoE 30 days before Election Day Nov. 7 and vote absentee. I'm sure you all will be working polls for your favorite candidate that day anyway.

Also, I'd recommend contacting your county's Dem Central Committee rep for your precinct to find out what they are doing about this. If there isn't one in your area (open seat) then RUN for the open seat.

ON EDIT: Find your county's Dem Party here:
http://www.ohiodems.org/ht/d/GetLocal/pid/273287

imbillorightsmanandiapprovethismessage

[OhioBlue]

9. thanks for the links!!

From http://www.commonblog.com/story/2006/8/4/143951/7264#readmore
...
Bill Faith of COHHIO referenced a study from Cleveland State University that showed how many registered voters might have to vote a provisional ballot because their license ID might have an old address on it. Legally, it should still be proper ID to vote, but because it doesn't match the poll book address, there is bound to be confusion. To illustrate how many voters could be affected by this, he asked those at the news conference whose valid license has an old address on it. Eight out of the thirty in the room raised their hands.

Mr. Faith also pointed out the four pages of paper work that must be filled out for each provisional ballot, demonstrating that the confusion over ID requirements will cause more voters to have to vote a provisional ballot, which may or may not be counted, and will contribute to slower lines at the polls.

...
This appears to be another black mark on Secretary of State Blackwell's office in their administration of Ohio elections. The lack of clear rules or advisories to educate local boards of elections, poll workers and the voters about the new ID requirements is a formula for another election meltdown in Ohio if nothing more is done to remedy the problem.
...

so maybe I'm not being chicken little - and even if I am, I still think it's better to be safe than stuck with freakin' Blackwell as Gov and looking for answers that will never come as to why so many provisional ballots were lost... I don't have an ounce of trust in that POS Blackwell - he will purposely send out confusing directives or counter directives closer to the election. I swear to G_d I think he is f-ing with us and will not hesitate to try every trick left in his bag to steal this one too.

[InkAddict]

8. Poll Tax on the Poor

My spouse was unemployed for 2 years while we took care of the needs of my elderly FIL. We could not pay the mortgage and we separated because I could afford an apartment within walking distance of my work. What happened? I moved. We rented the house to a skip, then quickly to a nice family by reducing rent below mortgage payment. I got my hours cut and had to pay my own health care which meant I could no longer afford the apt. by myself, and spouse, on the death of Dad got a job that didn't last long, but we held things together while he lived w/kids in another city and came back on the weekends. We made arrangements (terms)w/landlord so we could move to the city in which he worked, and the day after we placed deposit on the new apartment, spouse was told that he was no longer needed at his place of employment. He found another gig fairly quickly, so we moved and I gave a notice. Not three weeks later, his new gig was canceled by the client and consultantcy. Now, the mortgage will not be paid, the terms under which we left the old apartment will not be paid, our current rent will not get paid as I have yet to obtain employment in the new city (which is red-tinged and booming with Rethuglian rhetoric). Why do they hate my legal marriage???? Why do they prefer to take away our transportation which will make it even more difficult to obtain employment? My DL has not been renewed to the new address from which we'll be evicted shortly nor has my voter registration been renewed because from one day to the next I can't count on the fact that I have any civil/human rights in this "at-will" state. Perhaps we'll need to move in with married daughter and all this chaos will probably occur in such a fashion as to preclude changing voter address or obtaining a new DL at a correct address, not that that will be affordable and I'll not need insurance if we have no cars to drive, so I won't be driving anyway, which is the single best evidence of worthiness. I won't be able to afford a place to live, bathe, flush, turn on a light/buy gasoline/insurance/maintenance or an updated DL.

You are correct to be worried that we can't pull a WIN at the next election. You're looking at at least two potential citizens of the "free,", i.e., homeless and dependent world. Are you ready to pay the price for the thousands of Ohioans who are being marginalized by these ethical(?) Blackwell thugs so we can continue an occupation of oil-rich lands from which we've been excluded to participate in helping them make a profit by buying the products that require that resource. IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT! and I'm not sure I can make an adequate adjustment to outright servitude let alone the illusion of "at-will" employment. Where can I get political asylum?

[OhioBlue]

10. First let me say

how sorry I am that circumstances (and poor leadership) have left you and your family where they do. I see the Ohio economy as such a bubble right now that so many families are finding themselves in similar situations. Families that lived working class & middle class lives can lose and have lost so much with the erosion of manufacturing jobs and the increase in health care to name only 2...

you're right. it is a poll tax and it is creating 2 classes of voters - those that meet the Republican's requirements to vote regular ballot and those that don't.

My only suggestion for voting is to vote absentee. Even if you aren't currently living with your daughter yet, you can change your voter registration to that address and vote absentee up to 1 month before the election.

:hug:

[InkAddict]

11. Thank you for that information.

My head has been in a fog of what-if scenarios all day. Just how to proceed and get through this week is exhausting me; I must strain to remain focused. I can't incur any more bills or make any mistakes in using the few resources that are left. I fear I am losin' it. I'm already leaning too hard on folks around me and fear I'm driving them farther away. I am capable but not a survivalist; war is hell!

[rrasile]

12. Speaking of new voter ID

Thanks to the Bush administration and their fears of Terrorist the Ohio drivers as well as every state are going to foot the bill for the drivers license ID card. The papers are saying to digitally record and save all documents used to obtain a license could cost Ohio 10.5 million. Overall about 45 million to implement the Federal Law, with about 15 million in new annual cost. That's for you and me to pick up. Non drivers who must have an ID card will also pay.
Our smart leaders, democrat and Republican alike said this proposal would cost the country 100 million.
The department of homeland security will become the biggest rip off in American history. It is my bet that their are a few selected friends of the Bush administration that are ready to perform this service for the states with the blessing of DHS.
If this happens we won't need a department of motor vehicles and that's an appointed position so it will stay and just add to our bill.