TV News says you need photo ID to vote

[sunnystarr]

I live in Nashville, TN. This morning on Newschannel 5 viewers were informed that it was the last day of early voting and that they need to make sure they have their voters registration card and a photo ID with them in order to vote. In fact, every time I've voted in my precinct, including in the August primary, I presented my voter registration card and was asked for my photo ID - specifically asked for my driver's license. I've never questioned it and just complied. Thanks to DU I realized how many people don't have a photo ID and my daily visits to DU encouraged me to start making phone calls.

I couldn't believe what I learned. First I called Davidson County Election Commission. Mrs. Nixon told me that only first time voters who registered by mail were required to present a photo ID. I took her at her word and called Newschannel 5. I spoke with Charlie Woodward who told me that it didn't matter since there were so many people who would be required to show a photo ID - like students etc. I pointed out to him that there were also many who wouldn't be able to present a photo ID. Many people lost their license; many are elderly and don't drive; many never had a driver's license. I told him that their reporting this morning would suppress the vote since these people would believe they couldn't vote. I requested that they issue a correction on their noon and evening broadcasts. He told me that IF they covered it again and IF they verified it they would. I didn't think that was good enough.

Then I decided to call the state election office since it didn't seem logical that only a segment of the population would be required to show a photo ID. I spoke with Cara Harr who was very helpful. She informed me that TN has NO photo ID requirement. While it can obviously be used if available, voters only need to confirm their name, address, and signature. This can be done with electric bills, credit cards, bank statements, paychecks, etc. A voter may then be required to complete an affadavit to confirm that they are who they say they are and reside at that address.

I again phoned Newschannel 5. Charlie Woodward so obviously put me off that I called him on it and told him he was giving me lip service. He then said he'd see what he could do. However, I knew he wrote me off as some nut case and he left me with no reason to believe that they would do anything to correct the misinformation they put out to the public this morning.

If anyone has any suggestion on what else can be done I'm ready to do it.

[Auggie]

1. How terrible. What about telling this bozo you'll notify the FCC

for not acting in the best interests of the community? Or are they owned by BushCo too?

[sunnystarr]

3. Landmark Communication owns the station

Landmark Communications is a privately-held media company headquarterd in Norfolk, Virginia and specializing in cable television, broadcast television, print publishing, and internet publishing. In addition to publishing, it has subsidiaries in what Landmark characterizes as "emerging businesses" that including database marketing, career education and trade shows.

Landmark's best-known media outlet is The Weather Channel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark_Communications

I watch them cause they're the best alternative to Clearchannel.

[IWantAChange]

2. Call the state Attorney General's office and ask how you can file

an official complaint. Once you notify this Woodward character of what you've done see if he continues to provide lip service.

[SouthernBelle82]

4. That would be my guess too

Here in my district when I went to vote in 2004 for the first time I took a photo ID (didn't have my license at the time) and my brother couldn't find his ID (didn't have his either) and he was able to use his registration card and his social security card even though we were both born in North Carolina. We also when we get there we fill out a card and than go to another line and find our name and our address and confirm it and sign above our name and we're in the record for having had voted.

[SharonAnn]

7. I'm an Election Officer in my TN County. My instructions say that

1. First ask the voter for their voter card
2. If the voter does not have their voter card, their drivers license is acceptable
3. First time voters who registered by mail are required to show Voters Registration or Drivers License. They will be marked in your signature book with "I. D. Required"
4. The first time voter must show proper I. D. there are no options under the law.
5. If a voter does not have I. D. and has previously voted (this voter would not have the marking I. D. Required in the book) they may show any of the attached I. D. in order to vote. They may also fill out an Oath of Voter affidavit swearing as to their identity and be allowed to vote.
6. Voter who does not show identification and refuses to sign the "Oath of Voter" may not vote.

All persons who registered to vote in person, or registered to vote by mail and have voted in person previously, may vote using anything that bears the voter's signature to meet the identification requirements, in including the Affidavit of Identity. All persons who registered to vote by mail, and have not voted in person before, must present an acceptable form of identification before voting or vote a provisional ballot that will not be counted.

There is a long list attached of various combinations of identification that would be acceptable, including passports, photo credit cards, student photo ID, photo employee ID cards, or Photo ID with name PLUS and ID with a signature, etc.

[Lars39]

8. Number 3....Voters Registration *OR* Driver's License, right?

Your last sentence, with "various combinations of identification"...kind of implies that a person would need more than one piece of ID. :shrug:

[SharonAnn]

11. If they had regsitered by mail and never voted before, they need to

have Voter ID information so that their name, address, signature can be verified.

think about it, if they've never presented themselves in person somewhere, then there's never been any validation that they are who they say they are.

If a person registered by mail and has never voted in person, AND doesn't have their Voter ID or a Drivers License or other, THEN they may need a combination of other things for identification. For example, a utility bill that shows their name AND address along with an Employer ID that has name and signature.

[Lars39]

12. What if a person registered by mail, has never voted in that county before,

but only has their voter registration card for the current county they're living in with them. Shouldn't that suffice?

[SharonAnn]

13. Here's what the instructions say:

3. First time voters who registered by mail are required to show Voters Registration or Drivers License. They will be marked in your signature book with "I. D. Required"

[Lars39]

14. Thanks!

:hi:

[nomaco-10]

5. I just heard no more than 10 minutes ago...

on 5 as well that YOU DO NOT meed a photo ID. You need two pieces of ID that have your signature on them. An SS card and your voter's reg card should be sufficient.

[Lars39]

6. Back that truck up a minute!

If you've got a voter's registration card you do not need any other piece of paper.

[NashVegas]

9. When I Voted in 2004

Here's what I found:

For local/state elections (including primaries) you MUST have your registration card or a photo ID.

For general/federal elections, if you're challenged, any ID will do.

You will probably be challenged to present ID no matter what, so it's best to have something officially acceptable. (In NY and VT, I never ever had to show ID, they'd compare my signature and that would be the end of it.)

Also, if you move, you must notify elections and get a change of address for the rolls. Davidson county (not sure about others) sends precinct notices about 30 days before the general election. This mailing will not be forwarded to your new address, so, if it bounces back to them, you'll turn up as an irregular and be stricken.

[H2O]

10. So far

I have not been told that I cannot vote yet for any reason; for everything there is a first time, of course.

Its been awhile since I have voted in an election in Davidson Co; my mother told me about the problems she had in the '04 election.

I did not experience any issues except long lines, here in Sumner Co.