Harriet Lloyd: RI Leads the Way on Voter ID Law
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Rhode Islanders finally have something to be proud of: a Voter Identification Law requiring current photo identification that is fair to all - and works!
The R.I. statute provides 13 photo ID sources a voter may use to prove his/her identity; during the 2012 and 2013 election cycles, the law also provides an additional 10 non-photo ID sources that are acceptable. After 2013, photo ID will be required.
The Secretary of State who designed the system, the General Assembly that passed the legislation, and all who administered it on Election Day deserve the thanks and appreciation of Rhode Island citizens for a job well done. In spite of the opposition to such laws in other states, Rhode Island did the right thing! Amid reports that the State ranks far below other states on a number of critical issues, let’s take a moment to let the rest of the world know that this is one time R.I. is a leader.
Rhode Island has a significant and diverse minority population, which has been “used” by many organizations who claim to represent its best interests. It is particularly encouraging that there was no justifiable, provable evidence that those entitled to vote, whether a member of a minority or otherwise, were denied that right.
The privilege of every citizen to vote is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and election laws. The sanctity of the vote goes to the very core of the legitimacy and integrity of government. Nothing does greater harm than the perception that an election has been swayed by improper procedures and/or illegal voting. The R.I. voter identification law is an essential step in guaranteeing that the system works as it should.
The key to the viability of the R.I. law is found in the definition of what constitutes proper identification. Within the social, business and governmental culture of modern day America, what legally qualified voter can possibly claim that he/she is not identifiable by photo through one or more of the means provided by the R.I. law? Indeed, as an added means of facilitating photo identification, the Secretary of State has established a comprehensive program to provide photos to those who are homebound or otherwise unable to go to a local Board of Elections to obtain it.
For too long, R.I. citizens have been concerned about rampant reports of illegal voting by “dead people”, “out-of-staters”, “multi-voters”, etc. True or not, these reports cloud what should be a system that builds public confidence in the democratic system. Other than fingerprinting, eye readers, and other more costly and less practical devices, photo ID is the best possible way to go.
Similar laws in other states are now being tested in the courts, and there may still be efforts to overturn the R.I. law. However, for the moment, Rhode Islanders should be pleased that their state is out-front on this issue.
Wouldn’t it be nice to report that R.I. is now moving on, in a spirit of common sense, practicality, and non-partisanship to address concerns such as pension reform, excessive taxation, over-regulation of business, education, etc.?
But, for this short moment, let’s not get crazy and just be pleased that – for once - Rhode Island can be proud of having taken the lead on something as important as the integrity of the Vote.
Comments:
Arthur Googy
10:33am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The law is shameful. There is no voter fraud - It is "fixing" a problem that we don't have. The only purpose is to exclude the poor and elderly from voting. It is against everything that we as a state should stand for.
michael riley
11:01am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
There is obviously voter fraud in Rhode island and I commend this Secretary of State for dealing with it in a responsible way. Mr Cicilline and Langevin protested this law 6 months after the fact of passage. Not only are they unaware Rhode Islanders care about their vote and support the Voter ID law. They were also so out of touch with their own State Legislature as to miss the whole debate.
RI deserves better than these guys
Arthur Googy
11:17am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The vast majority of voter fraud is via mail in and absentee ballots (even though that too is extremely rare). In the past 12 years there have been TEN confirmed cases of voter impersonation nationwide. To say that it is rare is a HUGE understatement. Voter ID bills only keep the poor and elderly from voting. It is their only net effect. I think that many of the supporters of this legislation have some conspiracy theories about "illegals" voting. People need need to leave their xenophobic tinfoil hats at home and let their fellow citizens vote.
Aaron Regunberg
11:37am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The most telling line in this: "For too long, R.I. citizens have been concerned about rampant reports of illegal voting by “dead people”, “out-of-staters”, “multi-voters”, etc. True or not, these reports cloud what should be a system that builds public confidence in the democratic system."
True or not. That's right, Harriet, all our public policy should go towards fixing rumors, whether they are true or not. You folks are too funny.
Will Collette
11:46am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The most significant voter fraud in Rhode Island is committed by Harriet Lloyd's own constituents - wealthy, non-resident property owners along Rhode Island's south coast. In Westerly, Jamestown, Little Compton and Block Island, there are more registered voters than there are permanent residents over the age of 18 (2010 Census).
In 2010, the most prominent example was Kerry King, GOP Lieutenant Gov candidate, who was actually collecting a homestead tax example for his true home in Florida. King is a member of the RISC board.
For years, RISC campaigned to give non-resident property owners the right to vote in local elections. Based on the data, it looks like a lot of them took matters into their own hands.
If our execrable voter ID law does anything good, I hope it purges these carpetbagger voters from the rolls.
michael riley
11:50am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
voter fraud exists and those who deny it look feeble and manipulative....we dont need a study from you, we all know it happens....funny how its only happened 10 times in the last 12 years and I personally know someone who showed up to vote only to find out she already had....if you guys actually cared about the sanctity of a citizens vote you would work to root out voter fraud rather than stick your heads in the sand like you have on so many other issues
Samuel Bell
11:52am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Having worked as a poll checker for a campaign this primary election, I can say that yes there were indeed people disenfranchised by this law. I did witness a voter turned away for lack of identification without being informed of his right to vote by provisional ballot. Knowing the law, I did inform him of his rights, and he was ultimately allowed a provisional ballot. I also witnessed several people turned away from the polls saying that they would return with identification. Many of these people were not informed of their provisional ballot rights. I did not check polls the whole day, but during the morning I was working, I never saw any of them return. So were people disenfranchised by this law? There is no denying it.
It is true that only two provisional ballots were ever counted, but given my experience at the polls, I am certain that that is more due to poll workers not informing voters of their rights than to a lack of voters without ID. Finding a report of disenfranchisement is difficult because if anyone happened to know the law well enough to know that they were illegally disenfranchised, it is highly unlikely that they would have been someone likely to run afoul of the law. And there is no quantifying the number of voters who did not turn up because they knew they would be turned away.
This law quite clearly exists to disenfranchise poor minority voters in Rhode Island. If Angel runs for governor, it will probably be a real hurdle for his campaign to overcome. It is true that the Rhode Island law is significantly less discriminatory than the other laws Republicans in swing states pass to disenfranchise Obama voters, but it certainly legitimizes those unconstitutional laws.
This law is an embarrassment to Rhode Island. It needs to be repealed. Now.
michael riley
11:56am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
A 1982 gubernatorial election in Illinois in which it is estimated that 100,000 fraudulent votes were cast in Chicago;
A 2005 Tennessee state senate race that was overturned because of fraud where the winning margin was only 13 votes; and
A successful 14-year vote fraud conspiracy in Brooklyn, New York, that resulted in thousands of fraudulent ballots being cast in state and federal legislative races through impersonation fraud at the polls.
michael riley
11:58am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
A new Washington Post poll found that 74 percent of respondents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that voters should be required to show a government-issued ID when voting.
michael riley
12:04pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
http://sos.ri.gov/elections/voterid/
Arthur Googy
12:21pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Per your link "Mail ballots do not require ID"
If voter fraud is going on it is via mail ballots and non residents who are illegally registered. (I like to call them "ILLEGALS"). As Samuel Bell mentioned, the false votes are coming from folks like yourself and Harriet Lloyd, not from the grandmother living in the housing projects, yet it is the grandmother who will be turned away. It does not surprise me Mr Riley that you would be in favor of this type of legislation - It directly affects the voters who would never vote for you.
Poll workers who turn people away without offering a provisional ballot should be charged with voter fraud.
michael riley
12:33pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
A logic puzzle
so you say my vote is false? have i committed the voter fraud you say doesnt exist?
So like you I want Grandmothers that are in housing projects to vote and vote for me...they desperately want this economic disaster in Rhode Island to be fixed for each and every member of their family especially their grand children...This economy and our State being dead last in everything is the direct result of 30 years of progressive policy in Rhode Island....Not only will my policies help the voter you described they will even help you... jump aboard!!! i dont hold grudges
rileycongress.com
Arthur Googy
12:53pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
I'm not saying your vote is false, but I am saying that any fraud happening is coming from the top down and not from the people who would actually be affected by voter ID laws. Voter ID has nothing to do with voter fraud and everything to do with Vote suppression.
If you are serious about courting the grandmother in the projects vote you might want to take a look at your marketing. Heck, even that picture of you and your family on your website. Does that look like a guy who can relate to the working class or does that look like a wealthy banker who wants to foreclose on your house? You are going out of your way to paint a picture of a guy out of touch with the working class. It's not going to win you an election in RI.
Samuel Bell
12:54pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Michael Riley, Rhode Island is not dead last in everything. We, for instance, are 16th in median household income. We are a wealthier than average state. Mississippi, not Rhode Island, is the poorest state in the union. Our economy, although suffering from more than a decade of disastrous Republican governors and conservative General Assemblies, is still better than the economies in the red states run by your party. So do not attack and disparage my state. Show some respect. Show some patriotism.
michael riley
1:00pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
ok so my vote is false
and i am not a patriot
thx for your tolerant appraisal
Arthur Googy
1:24pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Anytime man.
April Donahue
2:44pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
It would be helpful if the author provided a link so that readers may discover *what* the acceptable forms of identification for the new Voter ID law are.
michael riley
9:46am on Monday, October 01, 2012
How prevalent do you believe voter fraud is in R.I.? (3,147 votes)
Rampant: 55.7% (1,754)
Occasional: 21.5% (676)
Infrequent: 22.8% (717)
Vote successfully recorded. Thank you.
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