Posted on 05/03/2008 4:24:50 AM PDT by fweingart
Florida is courting electoral trouble. Heading toward another presidential election, state officials are making it increasingly difficult for citizens to vote.
Thanks to state laws, national election experts are warning that Florida is one of the hardest places to vote. Recent court decisions and a lamentable move by Secretary of State Kurt Browning could make matters worse.
The potential result: Thousands of eligible Florida voters -- many of them poor, black and Hispanic -- will be prevented from having a voice in the November election.
Fining third parties
Among the objectionable election laws, one chills voter-registration drives by imposing fines on third parties, such as the League of Women Voters, if they fail to turn in registration forms quickly. Though the state previously had agreed not to enforce the law, recently Mr. Browning announced he would begin to do so.
He should rethink the decision. A previous version of the law was struck down as unconstitutional in 2006. Now the state is being sued again by the League. The suit argues that the law is unconstitutional. The law also targets minority voters, who are more likely to register to vote through third parties than through government authorities.
Another law known as the ''no match, no vote'' provision disenfranchises voters when information on their voter-registration application fails to match exactly with government databases. So a voter will be disqualified because of a typo in Social Security records.
Hispanic voters are unfairly impacted because there are relatively more database flaws among Hispanic names.
Government errors shouldn't stop anyone from voting. Four states have gotten rid of similar, unfair laws. Florida should follow suit.
Florida also is one of just seven states that require voters to provide photo identification at the polls. On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld Indiana's photo ID law, saying it was a valid means of deterring fraud. However, the ruling left room for another challenge that could demonstrate that the law unconstitutionally stopped eligible voters from casting ballots.
Right to vote
While Florida's law allows a variety of IDs, legislators are considering a bill (S 866) that would make it more restrictive by eliminating buyer's club cards and employee badges. That would be wrong.
Ensuring electoral integrity is critically important. Equally sacred is the fundamental right to vote of every citizen. Unfortunately, many of Florida's restrictive voting laws, approved in recent years by the Republican-led Legislature, disproportionately impact the poor and minorities who lean toward the Democratic Party. The state should make every effort to encourage voters, not block them for partisan reasons.
Many of these are illegals who the Democrap Party want to shove into polling places.
legislators are considering a bill (S 866) that would make it more restrictive by eliminating buyer's club cards and employee badges. That would be wrong.
That would be right! How patently ridiculous that one could use a buyer's club card to prove elligibility to vote.
This is, of course, the Miami Herald; one of the most liberal rags in the nation that constantly spreads ridiculous articles for their largely illiterate readership to ponder.
Er, uhm, no.
So a voter will be disqualified because of a DELIBERATE DUPLICATION OF A FRAUDULENT NUMBER in Social Security records.
I wonder why?
Perhaps they can’t tell the difference between Hosea and Hoseb.
And ye wonder why America is in trouble
The RATS worked HARD to prevent the counting of absentee ballots in 2000. So, they’re worried about everyone geting to vote? Who they sh-ttin???
“for their largely illiterate readership”?
NOt illiterate, Illegal is more correct.
The Miami Herald, what can you say. When you register to vote other than on the street with some Acorn group, you get a temporary ID with your number on it. Kind of like a raffle ticket. That number stays the same when they mail your voter card.
As long as you stay in the county and district you registered in it stays the same and is always on the roster when you walk in. You present ID then sign your name next to your name and number. It makes it very hard for someone to vote in your place or in some dead guys place.
They are just ticked that they can cheat... as easily but they can still cheat.
“All the Lies That Are Fit to Print” is their motto
Not exactly. The Democrats worked hard to keep military absentee ballots from being counted.
A very large percentage of those absentee ballots were from soldiers serving overseas or in other parts of the country.
Soldiers fighting and dieing for our safety and freedom and the dems tried to prevent these heros votes from counting.
And why? Cause most vote conservative and Republican so algore
and his minions tried to get the votes thrown out.
I think that in FL, you can still file a provisional ballot if there is a problem like a typo.
No, that would be right. An employee ID or buyer's club card does nothing to prove identity - Nothing. Each can easily be faked since there is no standard for making such cards difficult to counterfit. If you need an ID to buy liquor, you should need one to vote.
I am a Florida resident and a natural citizen. I find it very easy to vote here.
Sounds like a set up for a Dimbulb push to let illegals vote to me.
Hispanic voters are unfairly impacted because there are relatively more database flaws among Hispanic names.
Gee, I wonder why there are so many database errors involving Hispanics. Could if just possibly be because many are illegal aliens who've been illegally registered to vote by third parties???
Did they ever pass the law that jailbirds could vote? I think I remember this being an issue.
Some of the illegals would have a hard time finding the right place to put the “X” - as happened 7 years ago.
The same crowd needs an ID to purchase smokes or alcohol, cash a check, or drive a car I don’t see the problem with showing it to vote. This creates no problems in my precinct.
I don’t recall whether it passed or not.
I do know that the state is making it easier for felons to get their rights back after they serve their time.
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