Vet ID holders cannot vote? (Texas)

[douglas9]

Local Democrats are up in arms about a controversial voter ID bill that would exclude veterans' identification cards from the short list of photo IDs required to cast a vote in Texas.

Ann McGeehan, director of the Secretary of State's elections division, said last week at a seminar in Austin that photo ID cards issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are not acceptable forms of military ID to vote, according to a recording provided by the Texas Democratic Party.

Jordy Keith, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state, backpedaled Friday on that determination.

“It was an informal Q&A, and (McGeehan) was answering based on what was expressly called out in Senate Bill 14,” Keith said. “Right now our office has not issued a final determination on that.”

Passed after Gov. Rick Perry declared voter ID an emergency issue in the last session, the strict bill is touted by Republicans as a way to reduce voter fraud but decried by Democrats as an effort to lower voter turnout among minorities and the elderly, disabled and poor.

Texas voters, beginning next year, cannot cast a ballot without one of the following forms of photo identification: a Texas driver's license; a Texas concealed handgun license; a U.S. passport; citizenship papers; or a military identification card.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/article/Vet-ID-holders-cannot-vote-1924290.php

[midnight]

1. K&R

[angstlessk]

2. You have to OWN a car or gun to vote? What about an official Texas plain old ID?

[ashling]

3. What are you talking about?

I agree the law is bad. I have signed a petition to have the DOJ look at it, but there is nothing about having to own a car or gun.
DPS will issue a free voter id.

[TexasProgresive]

4. If you don't drive you can't get to our DPS office

In our town they moved to a location that is way out in an area where no one lives. It is hard to get to even with a car.

[Worried senior]

5. Maybe people should band together and make sure that people

that cannot get to the DMV by themselves have a way to get there. I'm sure there are people that would be willing to do this just to keep the republicans from gaining more of a foot hold.

[white cloud]

6. But wait

Waiting lines at the DMV are miles long due to closure, lay offs, cuback in budget.

A federal ID is not good enough frickin jerks

[ashling]

8. I posted an earlier thread

suggesting a one spot U.S. internet site where you could link to someone in your community who would drive you to get a voter id. Didn't get much response.

[ashling]

7. True, but

I was responding to a particular query: What about an official Texas plain old ID?

[TexasProgresive]

9. To get a "plane old Texas ID" You have to go to the DPS office

And in our town it is out in the middle of no where. Just so you know the DPS employees hate the new location and the state is moving TexDOT next door-those people are really pleased (NOT)

[ashling]

10. The post to which I responded

assumes that a "Plain old Texas ID" would not be sufficient, not that it was hard to get.

[sonias]

11. Depends on what your definition of "free" is

You still have to bring other paperwork to DPS to get your free ID. A passport, a certified copy of a birth certificate etc. None of that documentation is free.

Just saying.

:shrug:

[Name removed]

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