the id thing is a pile of crap isn’t it? I’m in your neighboring state. To get a passport for my disabled child I had to acquire for her a state picture id. it’s very easy to do and only $15 I think, also if you have the dr. sign a paper stating that the person is disabled it’s $4. Not a huge amount.
But I’d be happy for them to show an official birth certificate (not the one the hospital gives you) and proof of residence to get a state photo id free.
Many elderly who may no longer had dl’s have been in the system so it really shouldn’t be to hard to provide proof of residency.
It really bothers me that people who are not competent and had to be placed in nursing care are ‘helped’ to vote, but since they are not declared incompetent in most cases i suppose technically they can vote, I believe in many cases they are taken advantage of. I do think something needs to be done in their case to, since whomever votes for them may not actually vote the way that person normally would if they understood what is going on around them.
I agree with all you wrote. Furthermore, it starts at the lowest level on helping the disabled and elderly to vote. This is a Republican town, but we’ve had a series of Dem City clerks. Who goes to the nursing home to “help” them to vote? THe City clerk. This can make a difference even in local (non-partisan) elections, because we’re all partisan in one way or another. Those city officers can throw an Aldermanic, or Mayoral, election very easily.
We had a case here in WI where a Gubenatorial candidate (our current Gov) gave a “party” for some developmentally challenged people living in a group home. He handed out quarters so they could play Bingo and ice cream. Then, his aides ushered them into another room and “help” them to vote absentee. Funny thing, the AG (Dem) at the time couldn’t find any thing wrong with that. THat’s why some people still call him “Bingo” Doyle.