Voter ID: Show your cards

Published March 13, 2013

by Jeanne Milliken Bonds

Every poll that comes out shows North Carolinians support voter id with pretty convincing numbers. Why? It is a simple concept to grasp on a poll because the majority of people have photo identification. Some folks just cannot fathom a world without id. But the facts: there are those without ids and those without who simply don't need an id to function in life, those who can't afford one, those who can't get to a place to get one. Just because the polls say "do it" doesn't mean it is the right thing to do, the easy thing to do or a win for either Party. Easy to tweet, hard to look a constituent in the eyes and say.

What should Democrats do? It is a core value to fight for the right to vote for everyone, especially those who were denied it in the past. With an election coming in 2014, Democrats need a message to drive out voters in numbers and rally the base to enthusiasm.  Is it voter id? Or do they try for the best practical solution and fight the war another day. Core organizations with Democratic values must protect people on this issue so can the Party unite on a decision on this issue?

This issue is not without pitfalls for Republicans either. They handed red-meat to their base all over the country: Voter integrity. We must prevent fraud. Everyone has an id. How can you live without an id? You can write it and say it a million times. It doesn't make it true. The Republicans forgot to explain it to their base. There is clearly no understanding of the legal implications/complexities, costs, implementation processes or the basic fact that states enact individual voting procedures because we do not have national elections. As a Republican consultant said on twitter, "let the lawyers work it out."

It would be in both Parties' interests to collaborate to ensure voting integrity without disenfranchisement of anyone. Require an id, then give one to everyone. Everyone wins. No one loses.

But there is that nagging little issue of money and political winners and losers and the next election.

Regardless of whether the average Republican "fed on the read meat talking points wants to hear it or not" it is a fact that there are people without ids. A woman stood at the voter id hearing Tuesday and said "Look at all my ids. They are easy to get." Poster child. Passports cost, drivers' licenses and state issued ids cost, credit cards cost. I guess she never met a person in poverty, a person without means, a person who has no need for an id because their life is a simple day to day grind of getting by, a person who had to pass a test to vote, an older person depending on family and without any need for an id. She made Democrats salivate to fight.

Remember how those over 65 vote? Guess what? When they stop driving, many just don't need ids. My Mom tossed hers when it expired. She is 83, blind, cannot drive. We use online banking (she has had an account since the 40s) for her so no check cashing. She doesn't buy alcohol. She doesn't go "clubbing". She doesn't fly. She can't fire a gun. I have never been asked for her id by a doctor (no law) , pharmacist (no law except certain narcotics), hospital (no law), government agency. She does not need one so why should I order her birth certificate and engage a myriad of other activities to get her one? She has voted since 1947.

My position is and has always been: If you require a photo id for everyone to vote, then get everyone an id. I resent it because I have voted by signing since 1980. But, if it is really about voter integrity, invest in the same id for everyone. I guarantee anything less will then be a debate about why this person or that person gets their id for free. And that brings with it a host of challenges. Who is eligible for a free id? What will a free photo id be? What qualifies as an id?

If we impede citizen participation on voting, force ids at the polls but allow absentee without, we end up in court. If we give some a free id, make others pay for one, we end up in court.

Voter id has become a do or die for each side. Republicans fed the base so they have to produce something. Democrats are guarding their base and must fight.  We cannot afford to pay for an id for everyone so if you really want to protect voter integrity and ensure no discrimination and stay out of court, if a person shows to vote without an id, you have to discern their eligibility then and let them vote. The bills have been introduced - H253, S235. The game is on, the bluff has been called. Show your cards.

Jeanne Bonds is a political analyst and an NC Spin Panelist

March 13, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Darrell Hill says:

You've made plenty of great points here. It seems to me that it's obvious when a political party starts finding solutions without the benefit of first having a problem, it is important to go to motive. NC is bucking far too many national trends on too many issues. We might as well become an sovereign island.

March 13, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Win Quakenbush says:

I am a conservative Republican, an avid NC Spin viewer, and I work at the polls. I start with the proposition that "less government is better than more government". And on this issue, I just haveto ask - what problem are we trying to solve, and how big a stick does it take to solve it?

Now, if you want a _true_ Voter ID, I might go along with that. But that means re-certifying everybody from the ground up, then copying DMV with a Raleigh-based, tamper-resistent photo ID which is mailed to the voter. And without that, I'm tossing you out of the polling place.

But - what about absentee ballots? And who will administer the landslide of provisional ballots which will be cast?

Some of my friends say "voter ID" when really mean "drivers license". This falls so short of adequately addressing the issue that it makes me want to scream.

Thank you for letting me vent.

March 13, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Vickie Page says:

When the NC Board of Elections is involved with voter fraud then we absolutely need IDs to vote. Plain and simple!! The woman you are talking here showed up at the meeting to complain about having to get a free ID so couldn't she show up one time to get the free ID?????????

March 16, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Darrell Hill says:

I appreciate your p.o.v., but you failed to say why we need Voter ID. Most statistics nationwide shows that out of 300 million voters, the government was only able to find 86 cases of real voter fraud. That's am extremely small amount to justify making it harder for people to vote. I'd love to hear your reasons for applying this law which is statistically unnecessary and will effect Democratic voting blocks more than Republican. Again, I think it goes motive.

March 13, 2013 at 10:40 pm
dj anderson says:

NC is bucking far too many national trends on too many issues. -- comment above

How important is it for NC to get in line with other states? Shouldn't that be issue by issue. Seems to me the Democrats think they are going to lose votes if ID is passed, and the Republicans think so too.

I support voter ID due to my spouse and having had someone else vote for us before we got to the pole. Our ballots went into an envelope rather than the counting machine.

Don't think this is a big PERSONAL issue to most people. Most of us have IDs to get gun permits, driver's licenses, ride planes, and a host of other things.

How many people are really not capable of getting proper picture ID?

Those current voters without IDs can still apply for and get Absentee Ballots even if they live under a bridge. Who's going to stop them from selling them then for $20 for another to fill out and mail?

Bottom line, it is a good thing to maintain public confidence in the ballot box. Mine is at a low due to someone else voting for me.

March 19, 2013 at 9:21 am
Jeanne Bonds says:

Vickie- I have no idea who you are referencing. I am talking about my Mom who has no id and she was not at the meeting. I was, did not speak, and have an id.

Good questions - what problem are we trying to solve, and how big a stick does it take to solve it? No one has any idea because the story changes daily,