AUGUSTA, Maine — What started out as a voter identification bill will be weakened to a study if a measure that’s advancing through the Maine Legislature is enacted.
The Senate on Tuesday voted to go along with the House and approve the amended bill.
In its original form, the bill would have required voters to provide picture IDs in order to cast ballots. It was carried over from last year, when it was narrowly defeated following a partisan debate.
This year, the bill was weakened in committee to call for a study by state election officials into voter participation and registration issues.
Civil libertarians applauded Tuesday’s final action, saying the Legislature rejected an attempt to make it harder for Mainers to vote.
The amended voter ID bill faces final House and Senate votes.
We need to study the Charlies-Webster and Summers.
Voter ID bills have been blocked in several states recently. There needs to be REAL evidence of fraud for this kind of a law to be enacted.
SCOTUS in a 6 to 3 decision said a Indiana voter id law is Constitutional.
” WARNING ” The following message is rated “C” for conservative minds only.
Nothing like a little cheating to help get obama re-elected. Didn’t I just hear that obama’s no justice department ruled voter ID discriminatory. The only thing it discriminates against is honest folks!
When I first voted in the mid 60’s I needed to show proof of residency and literacy. WTF is the big deal in this day and age to show a photo ID and I don’t want to read comments about discrimination…….GET REAL !!!!!!!!!!!
I had to show photo I D and proof of residence in order to register for the November 2011 election .
…but not at the polls on voting day. I really can’t imagine the senile dolts who manned the polling place ( Ellsworth ) being capable of doing anything other than turning a simple process into a complicated one.
If you have a closed mind and do not want to read about what is wrong with voter id laws, stay away from articles discussing it.
Enlighten me, oh wise one, as to the perils of voter ID.
1) By one estimate it would disenfranchise up to 5 million people across the US.
2) It would require the state to provide free ids to those who would not otherwise have one, in a time when states are facing budget shortages.
3) It is a solution looking for a problem, like the attempt to repeal same day registration last year. Unless and until widespread voter fraud is demonstrated, it is just another unnecessary law.
You could have looked this up yourself, but I realize some need help in doing any research.
Item 1…..what’s the big deal……that would mean I am disenfranchised each time I renew my driver license or passport.
Item 2…..place a small fee, that’s what the liberals would call it, to obtain a photo ID. Wish I only needed to pay a small fee for a photo ID.
Item 3…..nip a potential problem in the bud.
1) Voting is a constitutionally guaranteed right. A driver’s license or passport are privileges.
2) Any fee required to vote was determined to be unconstitutional a long time ago-the poll tax
3) What about an asteroid, that is a potential problem. So is a flood, hurricane, fire, etc. Should we require voting places to be deep underground to avoid those “potential problems? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is an old Maine saying. There has not been documented voting fraud in Maine. Period.
It really amazes me that you would repeat the same lies about voter fraud when your own republican party cannot prove it. Voting is a constitutional right, period.
And, your party lost 60% to 40% on unwarranted and an unnecessary voter restriction law. And your party, embarrassingly botched it’s own caucus procedures and now face a floor fight at it’s own convention……..The honest folks have spoken, have fun at the convention. You and your party should stop trying to manufacture a majority through laws, and pressure… you should stop trying to exclude, and start over again, no one is buying it.
I think you meant that for amcon, since you are describing the republican/teabag party
your post is pure bull. what the GOP really wants is for just rich white men to vote. their wives can vote to but only if they follow their husbands instructions.
What is there to study? This could be summed up in a public forum or a website even with a poll on it asking us “Do you want to show your ID when you go to vote?” and the answers would be Yes, No. Then all you do is hit the submit button and you will be redirected to a page giving you a reference number and a fax number to send your ID in at for that vote to count.