McPherson: “Why shouldn’t you have to show ID to vote in California?”
I received a political hit-piece today from one of the candidates for California Secretary of State. It says:
“When you rent a movie at the video store you have to show ID.
Why shouldn’t you have to show ID to vote in California?
Secretary of State Debra Bowen
Bruce McPherson wants is AGAINST
to require ID at the polls. requiring ID at the polls."
In case you had any doubt before, papers please! readers now know who to vote for.
And for Mr. McPherson, a clue: We shouldn’t have to show ID to vote, because some people who have a RIGHT to vote do not have an ID. You can’t take away their right to vote, just because they decline to have an optional ID card.
Clue #2: A mandate that every citizen must obtain an ID and present it to exercise their constitutional rights is, in legalese, a “licensing scheme” for imposing “prior restraint” on those rights. The process for obtaining those IDs is going to have to meet constitutional standards for prior restraints. It doesn’t even come close, today.
Addendum: Mr. McPherson lost the election.
I can’t just show up to the polls to vote, I have to register to vote first. How is requiring an ID, that is available for free, any more of hinderance?
I bet you can’t claim or cash a welfare check without ID can you? If you can’t be bothered to get a free ID then you probably aren’t going to bother to vote anyways.
In addition, the fact that non-citizens are able to vote is preposterous. But of course, that’s ok too right? It’s just common sense, I don’t see how anyone who looks at this objectively can leave such a potential for abuses in place.
I didn’t show an ID and I voted yesterday. I used a provisional ballot since they didn’t have me on their list.
Interesting idea… voting with no proof of identity. A breif look at the constitution will show that the right to vote is for citizens. Demonstration of that status would be a reasonable measure to avoid abuse by non-citizens and voter fraud. I would be greatly amused at a election results of a precinct having 10x as many votes as residents. Oops. That happened already with black box voting didn’t it.
It is ridiculous to think that you wouldn’t have to show an ID to vote. You’re automatically enrolled to vote by getting a driver’s license, but that doesn’t mean you’re a citizen. Only United States citizens should be voting, sorry. I don’t go to Mexico and expect to vote and Mexico shouldn’t/wouldn’t allow me to do so if I tried.
Good for Bruce McPherson!