Voter I.D. in R.I. & Provisional Ballots
The recent House bill requiring picture i.d. when voting blows what's left of my mind. We're passing this bill because of all the people here trying to vote who are not eligible. Wait, no, that's not it. We're demanding it because we want voting to be more difficult, slower, & to make sure all those undesirables out there quit trying to vote.
Nope! Not it either- I think. Although I do think this bill may well be code words for the latter. We're doing it because you need a picture i.d. for practically everything. Well, not really. In fact, when you do need a picture i.d., it's because there is some governmental law requiring it.
Saying that this is a good thing because you sometimes need a picture i.d. is like my kids trying the old- because everyone else is doing it gambit. Worth a try but a waste of time- except with our lege.
Rep. Amy Rice is right- just don't need it & will make voting lines longer. Heck, some of these poll workers have difficulty doing the job as it is now (and God bless them for even doing it for lousy pay and a VERY long day with little training). Voting is a right we are born with or acquire. It's not something extra or nice to have- like a drivers' license, or a credit card, or an airline ticket. If you don't want to give it to me- picture or not- I say the onus is on you to try & prove that I'm NOT entitled to it.
Passing legislation we don't need for a non-problem. Relatively easy to do when you know that it will likely never get out of the Senate committee hearing it. Also easy to do when House leadership wants it passed & subtly intimating any legislation that you want passed will die quietly.
The Newport Daily News also was against this bill- hey, lots of times we agree. BTW, I could give you the link, but then you'd have to pay me.
Rep. Amy Rice- against (3 cheers for her!), everyone else- for. BTW, this latter info is difficult to find out unless you ask someone, hope the newspaper publishes it (rare), or wait for the daily lege journal to be published & know that date it was voted on. SO-O-O-O not useful. Accident? Please, don't make me laugh. NDN reporter Joe Baker, did publish the results (NDN, Sat.). Sorry, it gets harder & harder to link to this paper without holding the actual paper in front of me. You can still get it online for a week, but you have to register. After that, it's all $.
Why even bother with all this provisional ballot stuff- just shoot 'em. Ahh, provisional ballots. Ever try one of these? Take my word for it, loads of fun & extremely time-consuming. We went through 3 poll workers before we could even get one (for husband's mom). What's that you want? Hey, he said, she has a right to vote! And she did after signing papers & listening to a long list of instructions- while in a wheelchair. We had to return later with the proper docs (a bill with her current address). Who knew that you have to file every election for a mail-in ballot when living in a nursing home? Nice to be told. Yup, the other voters in line loved us. But sure sounds simple, right? Just vote with a provisional ballot.
Sure will be fun trying to get a voter i.d. for someone who is a senior, wasn't born here, has no drivers' license, etc., etc.
So a resounding bronx cheer for those lege voting for this bill. Somehow, if this ever becomes law, I know that it's going to cost me $.
Nope! Not it either- I think. Although I do think this bill may well be code words for the latter. We're doing it because you need a picture i.d. for practically everything. Well, not really. In fact, when you do need a picture i.d., it's because there is some governmental law requiring it.
Saying that this is a good thing because you sometimes need a picture i.d. is like my kids trying the old- because everyone else is doing it gambit. Worth a try but a waste of time- except with our lege.
Rep. Amy Rice is right- just don't need it & will make voting lines longer. Heck, some of these poll workers have difficulty doing the job as it is now (and God bless them for even doing it for lousy pay and a VERY long day with little training). Voting is a right we are born with or acquire. It's not something extra or nice to have- like a drivers' license, or a credit card, or an airline ticket. If you don't want to give it to me- picture or not- I say the onus is on you to try & prove that I'm NOT entitled to it.
Passing legislation we don't need for a non-problem. Relatively easy to do when you know that it will likely never get out of the Senate committee hearing it. Also easy to do when House leadership wants it passed & subtly intimating any legislation that you want passed will die quietly.
The Newport Daily News also was against this bill- hey, lots of times we agree. BTW, I could give you the link, but then you'd have to pay me.
Rep. Amy Rice- against (3 cheers for her!), everyone else- for. BTW, this latter info is difficult to find out unless you ask someone, hope the newspaper publishes it (rare), or wait for the daily lege journal to be published & know that date it was voted on. SO-O-O-O not useful. Accident? Please, don't make me laugh. NDN reporter Joe Baker, did publish the results (NDN, Sat.). Sorry, it gets harder & harder to link to this paper without holding the actual paper in front of me. You can still get it online for a week, but you have to register. After that, it's all $.
Why even bother with all this provisional ballot stuff- just shoot 'em. Ahh, provisional ballots. Ever try one of these? Take my word for it, loads of fun & extremely time-consuming. We went through 3 poll workers before we could even get one (for husband's mom). What's that you want? Hey, he said, she has a right to vote! And she did after signing papers & listening to a long list of instructions- while in a wheelchair. We had to return later with the proper docs (a bill with her current address). Who knew that you have to file every election for a mail-in ballot when living in a nursing home? Nice to be told. Yup, the other voters in line loved us. But sure sounds simple, right? Just vote with a provisional ballot.
Sure will be fun trying to get a voter i.d. for someone who is a senior, wasn't born here, has no drivers' license, etc., etc.
So a resounding bronx cheer for those lege voting for this bill. Somehow, if this ever becomes law, I know that it's going to cost me $.
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