Posted on 07/07/2006 6:19:42 AM PDT by devane617
ATLANTA — Georgia's new photo-identification law turns back the clock on voting rights after two centuries of steady progress, former Gov. Roy Barnes charged in a Fulton County courtroom Thursday.
But a legal attempt to prevent the state from enforcing the law during this month's primaries could be in trouble because of questions surrounding the qualifications of the plaintiffs.
Barnes, a Democrat, is seeking a temporary restraining order on behalf of two clients who say they would be affected by legislation Republicans pushed through the General Assembly requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls.
The case is one of two pending challenges to the new law. A hearing on a lawsuit in federal court is set for Wednesday in Rome.
During Thursday's hearing before Fulton Superior Court Judge Melvin Westmoreland, lawyers representing the state defended the photo-identification requirement as a way to prevent voter fraud.
But Jennifer Jordan, Barnes' co-counsel, argued that the law actually makes it easier for Georgians to vote by absentee ballot — a method that has generated many documented instances of fraud -while clamping down only on voting in person. She said Secretary of State Cathy Cox, who is now seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, hasn't documented a single instance of in-person voter fraud in nearly two terms in office.
Barnes, who lost his reelection bid to Republican Sonny Perdue in 2002, accused GOP leaders of concocting the photo-ID requirement to reduce turnout among poor, black and elderly voters, who tend to support Democratic candidates.
"I have lived by the sword of politics and, yes, I have died by the sword of politics," Barnes told the judge. "But I suggest to you there are some things we cannot and should not allow in politics.
"When you take a group of people and try to push down their ability to vote to win an election, it's wrong."
But Mark Cohen, a special assistant attorney general, said the new law does not deny any Georgian the right to vote.
He said any registered voter who does not have one of the six forms of photo ID required at the polls can vote absentee with no photo-ID requirement.
Cohen said the state has trained registrars and poll workers across Georgia in how to enforce the law, and equipment needed to produce photo IDs has been sent to elections offices in every county.
He said public service announcements are being aired on radio and TV stations to make voters aware that they will need photo IDs to vote on July 18 and where to get them.
Even with that, Cohen said only 83 photo IDs have been issued statewide since the State Election Board gave the go-ahead last week.
"There doesn't seem to be an overwhelming demand for them," he said.
Ann Lewis, another lawyer representing the state, questioned the veracity of a list Cox released recently of some 675,000 registered voters in Georgia who don't have a driver's license, the most common form of ID expected to be used to comply with the new law.
Lewis presented evidence Thursday that of the two plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed by Barnes, one has a driver's license and the other has an old but valid college ID from a public university in Florida.
"Neither of these people lacks identification to vote under this new law," Lewis said. "You'd think at least one person from this list could be identified for this case."
The state's lawyers asked Westmoreland to dismiss the lawsuit because the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to file it.
The judge said he would have a ruling today.
That is a crockery vessel full of stuff......anyone in this day and time can provide a photo ID. Social security cards should also require a photo of the owner, not just a driver's license.
Exactly! And every time they (Dims) bring up voter disenfranchisement, we should bring up voter fraud the picture ID issue. They can't seem to find anyone by name that was denied the right to vote, but we could easily provide names of those that voted more than once. Thus, we can prove voter disenfranchisement while they can't.
Roy Barnes: I know I got voted out, but I AM important. Really I am relevant, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO ME.
Sandbar,
A Georgia Native/Resident
Republicans are such milquetoasts. It's the same thing with gas prices. The Dems have blocked domestic drilling tooth and nail limiting supply, yet it's "Bush and Big Oil" fault.
Quite frankly I think there should be photo id for the absentee ballots too. hell if voting is your concern you should do what they ask , it isnt much. what numbnut thinks they can bring an expired college id from another state.
The next big push is for internet voting.This will allow the rats to heard the slaves into one room and verify the vote before they pay them.The same with paper verification.Bring me the proof and you get the $20.
Opposing voter ID is the same as wearing a sign saying, "We intend to cheat!" because that is the only way we can win, even after buying all the votes we can with taxpayers' money.
"Neither of these people lacks identification to vote under this new law," Lewis said. "You'd think at least one person from this list could be identified for this case."
OMG! Proof the Democrats, Barnes in this case, are complete and utter idiots.
Poor roy......... he always seems to end up a loser.
I'll never forget his arrogance during the last gubernatorial election in Georgia. He felt invincible. I guess he is just one more example of the Bible's oft quoted...."Pride goeth before a fall."
Should read "Former Democrat Governor of Georgia Defends Vote Fraud."
A corrupt, Democrat ex-Governor supports the enabling of vote fraud- who'd a-thunk it?
Judge issues restraining order against Georgia voter identification law
ATLANTA, Jul. 7, 2006
With less than two weeks to go before the July 18 primary, a judge Friday issued a restraining order blocking Georgia's voter ID law, saying that requiring photos as proof of identity is an unconstitutional burden.
Superior Court Judge Melvin Westmoreland said in a sharply worded written ruling that the Legislature doesn't have the authority to enforce the law and an amendment to the state Constitution would be required instead.
The law, he said, "unduly burdens the fundamental right to vote rather than regulate it."
The law requires that every voter who casts a ballot in person provide a valid, government-issued photo ID. The state made such IDs available throughout the state, but former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat, argued in court Thursday on behalf of two residents that the law would keep poor, elderly and minority voters from the polls.
Barnes said Friday he was pleased with the ruling.
"I think what we heard today loud and clear is don't allow the vagaries of political partisanship to change the basic fundamental rights of our people," he said. "All this law did was create a bureaucracy and a burden to vote."
The state plans to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
"Democracy only works because people have trust in the integrity of the ballot box," said Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, who signed the voter ID measure into law earlier this year. "I respectfully disagree with Judge Westmoreland, and believe that Georgia's law is not only constitutional, but a common sense, prudent protection of the election process."
The 17 forms of identification -- some with photos and some without -- that had been allowed in previous elections can be used at the polls for the primary, Westmoreland ruled. Voters who lack one of those IDs can also continue to attest to their identity under oath, pending further court action.
Westmoreland referred the case back to the trial judge in a case Barnes filed on behalf of two people who he said lacked the photo ID needed to vote. No further hearings were immediately scheduled.
Georgia's Republican-led Legislature first adopted a voter ID law in 2005, but a federal judge blocked its enforcement, saying it amounted to an unconstitutional poll tax. Early this year, lawmakers amended the law to make the IDs free and to ensure they are available in each of the state's 159 counties.
A separate, federal challenge to the voter ID law is also pending. Arguments in that case were scheduled for Wednesday.
F you, Roy.
There was a reason we got rid of your butt.
Well HECK! Who didn't see this coming?
BTTT
DumpsterDiver, Maybe you could post this story in another thread and link back to this thread. I think this is important.
OK, I went ahead and posted it over yonder...
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