Eric Holder’s Department of Justice is targeting South Carolina’s voter ID legislation. The ACLU Blog of Rights (because freedom can’t blog itself) has presented their viewpoint on this attack by the federal government against states’ rights. The Voting Rights Act was initially enacted for a period of 25 years but like taxes, once enacted, legislation is only expanded. I want everyone who is legally allowed to vote to be able to vote. I just want everyone to only vote once and be alive.
The two sides in this dispute are clear:
1. People who want to end voter fraud.
2. People who want to vote without discrimination.
Since voter ID is the solution, we have to ask why this is an issue? It isn’t an issue to present valid identification when purchasing alcohol, receiving medical services or entering a government building.
The Department of Justice has taken the same position on this issue as they have on illegal immigration. If election and immigration laws were enforced and people were penalized for breaking the law, these issues would be reduced or go away. What do I believe? Voter fraud is rampant in this country and the people in government that are benefiting from it are maintaining it. Why don’t we have voter ID in North Carolina: because the Republican Party wanted a campaign issue (see article below).
Related Article:
Restore Confidence in Government
David DeGerolamo
Government Steps Up to Block Voter Suppression in South Carolina
There were eight states this year that passed some version of a law requiring photo identification for all voters. South Carolina was one of them, but hopefully not for long.
The Department of Justice on Friday blocked South Carolina’s law, which it said would have disproportionately affected thousands of minority voters.
Because South Carolina has a sorry history of discrimination, it is required under the federal Voting Rights Act to have any changes in its voting laws approved by the Department of Justice or a federal court in Washington.
The law requires voters to have a government-issued photo ID. If that sounds simple enough to you, it’s not for tens of thousands of minorities, students, elderly and low-income residents who are registered to vote, but for various legitimate reasons, do not have a government-issued ID. Right now, all they need to cast a ballot is a voter registration card and a signature at their polling station.
The list of states, counties and townships that require preclearance are:
States and counties requiring preclearance under Section 5 of the VRA as of January, 2008. Several small jurisdictions have since bailed out, but the majority of the map remains accurate.
The jurisdictions listed below must be precleared (see 28 C.F.R. part 51 appendix):
States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Georgia, except for the city of Sandy Springs
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia, except for fourteen counties (Amherst, Augusta, Botetourt, Essex, Frederick, Greene, Middlesex, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke,Rockingham, Shenandoah, Washington and Warren) and four independent cities (Fairfax, Harrisonburg, Salem, and Winchester)
Counties
- California: Kings, Merced, Monterey, Yuba
- Florida: Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, Monroe
- New York: Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan)
- North Carolina: Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Camden, Caswell, Chowan, Cleveland (except for the city of Kings Mountain), Craven,Cumberland, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Jackson, Lee, Lenoir,Martin, Nash, Northampton, Onslow, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Robeson, Rockingham, Scotland, Union, Vance,Washington, Wayne, Wilson
- South Dakota: Shannon, Todd
Townships
- Michigan: Clyde Township (Allegan County), Buena Vista Township
- New Hampshire: Rindge, Millsfield, Pinkham’s Grant, Stewartstown, Stratford, Benton, Antrim, Boscawen, Newington, Unity
