I was asked to show picture ID (after showing my voter ID card) this morning

[LisaM]

I raised a stink. I showed my voter ID and went to sign in. The young women asked if I had picture ID. I asked if it was required. She said, "we're supposed to ask". So I said more loudly, "IS IT REQUIRED?" By this point she was turning red. The woman next to her said, "we need ID". I said, "I showed my voter ID card. Is that enough? What's the LAW?"

Shockingly, they didn't know.

I've worked a lot of elections in my time. They TRAIN you on stuff like this. It's so maddening. I said, "not every one has photo ID" and she said, "I know. You can show your utility bill". So I said, "I showed my voter ID card. Are you going to let me vote?"

I am still frizzling! How can they not know? And, by the way, you DO NOT have to have picture ID to vote in Washington.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

1. Let me get this straight

You went in (to the voting place of your choice) you showed your voter registration card, (they asked you for validation in the form of a picture identification card) You said, to the volunteer
I assume, is it necessary?

So the volunteer says back, we are asked to ask of you for a picture I.D. or something we can see that shows us you are who you say you are. You than intern ask louder ,is it required by law? And you say the volunteer did not know for sure rather or not that question you asked very loud is legal. Is that about right?

So whats a little cooperation worth?
The average IQ will find nothing wrong with being asked to show proof of who you say you are prior to going in to vote.

Isn't that a way of validating each and every vote? A way of guarding against voter fraud? I mean really with wacko's like Chris Vance around,you know the guy that use to head the republican version of the state senate,the guy who advisee's those republicans as a skin flint lawyer ,the guy that sifted through the phone book four years ago to find non credible address's in effort to support Rossi's challenge to the out come of the governors race?

So my question to you is, (what's the deal ? )Are you so much smarter than those volunteers ? Thanks for the info.

[pnwmom]

13. The elections office card is sufficient in itself -- no picture I.D. is required.

This is the law in the State of Washington. So the poster IS more informed than those volunteers.

[LisaM]

2. The deal is, not everyone has a picture ID

Among other things, picture IDs cost money. But for instance, I know older people who don't drive and probably don't have photo ID. It's not required. And the poll workers should know the law. (In fact, it should be posted).

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

3. Do you understand

how important volunteers are in elections ? People that have time to volunteer their time and efforts to see the elections through . These are not good natured lawyer type. Such people are every day people that care.People like Joe the real name of a retired plumber who's wife got him involved in the political scene in his retirement years. People like the house wife who raised children rather than earn her degree .Oh ,times have changed. Roll changing and all that. You know the husband works a while,than takes a year or two off to raise the children so the wife can maintain her career. Or which ever parent makes more money works. Or they both make a load of money and pay for child care in this fast pace society we live in today !
The thing of it is, most of those people of mention ,those with good educations and good jobs so to speak, are just too busy to volunteer their precious time.

A ounce of understanding goes a long way LisaM.

[LisaM]

5. Yep. I've worked MANY elections.

Also, they're not strictly volunteers, they get paid. And they get paid to attend the training session too, which is 3 to 7 hours long.

So maybe I was a little loud and maybe I was a little rude. And maybe someone who didn't have a picture ID heard me and so maybe they got to vote.

Working in elections is a pleasure. I enjoyed it very much. And the pay is also decent:



(from the King County elections site: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/aboutus/employment/pollworker.aspx)

Are poll workers paid?
Yes. Poll workers are paid $125.09 base pay, plus $24.21 for attending the three-hour training session.
Inspectors are paid $185.61 base pay, plus $56.49 for attending the seven-hour training session.

[pnwmom]

14. The volunteers should have had adequate TRAINING. These volunteers didn't. n/t

[Castleman]

4. BFD!

I was asked to show mine, I showed it, they gave me my ballot, end of story. Yes, not everyone has a picture ID, however, anyone with a lick of common sense SHOULD have one. You see, that eliminates a good chunk of the eastern Washington hicks and inbreds, so asking for photo ID is one of those things that keeps our beautiful northwestern state bluer than a 50 year old virgin's balls.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

6. Lisam.

Anybody who cannot afford a picture ID can get assistance getting one. If one is homeless and in need of food ,shelter ,and work, we have organizations such as the Millionairs club in
Seattle ,a charity organization known through out the state, Oregon too ,Idaho as well . And other charitable organizations that help people in need.

I just don't know what point you were trying to raise. And I still don't.
I think it's move about voter outrage in general for you, I may be wrong ,I dono.

[pnwmom]

15. Picture I.D.'s are a form of poll tax. They cost money.

The card from the Elections office, which is a legally sufficient form of I.D., is free.

[Jade Fox]

7. Yes, this IS outrageous. I've been voting in Washington .....

for 36 freaking years, and I've NEVER been asked to show anything more than my voter registration card.

Someone got to these poll workers, someone with an agenda. To you naysayers don't think this is serious: if these poll workers turned away voters without picture ID who didn't know better, then I believe they have broken the law.

Lisa, you should report this, both in Washington and on nationwide websites like the one at Huffington Post.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

8. You might try recalling the last eight

of those years and try to recall all that has come to light. And since when do people walk around without identification. ? Have you ever heard of the word paranoid? OK, so,it's no big deal.

[Jade Fox]

9. You're missing the point...

Right now the law does not require photo ID to vote in Washington. That may change in the future. So be it.

But on Nov. 4, 2008, no poll worker in Washington has the right to take the law into their own hands and demand photo ID from someone with a valid voter registration card (which they do check) before allowing that person to vote.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

10. I don't think there is one or much of one.

I said, since when do people go out in public to do something such as shop at the Bon or vote without proper identification? Just answer the question. Now if you have a problem with the Bon, than call that K mart and just answer the question. OK so you wonder into a BFD pub right, you are carded, so what do you do ?Alright, so ,here goes your choice, you produce it, or you simply leave .Or you oh shit, I forgot my I.D. If you leave you might go to a different BFD pub where you are known. And that might even work.
The poll workers were asked to ask for identification,AND AS IT SEEMS THAT IS AS FAR INTO IT AS WAS KNOWN ON THAT LEVEL TO IT. You tell me this, What level do you want to take it to,and I'll meet you there and we can debate it !

As a citizen, you must be able to identify yourself and show proof visible proof that you are who you say you are, did you know that. You walk in there to vote, you show your voter registration card and that's all, somebody signs you in,and that person is designated, and therefore can be held accountable. That's the flip side of the same coin.The gray area you might say. Not at all a bargain in the bargain basement if you were the one held accountable . BFD right or TFB right ?

Wrong, it's one of those technicalities. Have faith in people in that most people are honest, isn't that right?

Come on, get off it now.Anybody with a reasonably average IQ will not have a problem offering up valid identification at a voting poll if asked.It's no big deal,is it? By the way, did you read about massive crowds being turned away? The truthful answer is no ,isn't it? So who or what would you report that to ? !

[pnwmom]

17. This person was taking a stand for all the people who do NOT have photo i.d.'s.

Not everyone walks around with a driver's license. You're locked into a totally middle-class perspective, and you're not accounting for the many elderly people who no longer drive. Requiring a photo-id -- which costs money -- is a form of poll tax, and our state hasn't tried to impose this requirement. It isn't up to individual poll workers to make this decision on their own.

Read the material that comes with your voter card -- this is ALL that is needed in order to be allowed to vote.

[LisaM]

11. Thanks. I think our friend IS missing the point.

Just because we won this election doesn't mean that we have to stop being vigilant about the right to vote, voter supression, the rest of it. Anything that deters voting is wrong.

Voting and shopping at the Bon are hardly the same, not to mention, you don't need ID to shop. You need cash. You show ID for the right to use credit.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

12. Lisam.

Later through news reporting, you will come to understand why you were asked to show identification. Clearly,you thought the worst or suspected it was leaning that way. That's not what it was about. It was not about voter suppression at all. It's not about comparing voting to shopping, or people that do not have ten dollars to buy a picture state I.D. card, is it?
Not really LisaM. Is It?

There won't be poll places next time in the county of King, will there be?

Remember Logan Lisam? Remember Chris Vance four years ago, Lisa m. ?
Do you recall that statement Vance made, the one where heads will roll ? Vance demanding accountability? Don't you recall those republicans were using those gray areas in election laws to move Rossi's case through the courts? Don't you recall Chris Vance is a lawyer? Heads will roll. No law simply reads as is. As is as you see it is in part not context. Lawyers find loop holes. Just like easy come,easy go. Or when you snooze, you lose.

Wait for the media to explain what I just explained.

[pnwmom]

18. Chris Vance's case has been completely discredited. He has been able to

prove not a single case of voter fraud -- i.e., of a voter illegally voting.

The real problem is election fraud -- such as illegal purging of valid registrations. Voter fraud complaints are a tactic of Republicans in order to suppress turnout.

[pnwmom]

16. There have been no cases of voter fraud prosecuted in Washington state,

and very few across the country.

The Republicans are the ones always trying to depress voting counts, which is what this requirement is designed to do. Photo I.D.'s cost money. How many homeless people do you think carry around driver's licenses? But they are entitled to vote, and so is anyone else who doesn't have a driver's license.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

19. So your trying to raise the argument

Senior citizens who no longer drive may not have a valid picture ID?
People that just don't have I.D. and homeless people that may have lost their ID,s ? I understand every vote must count but, I suspect it 's more about displacing your voter outrage here.Having been asked for identification must of course be a conspiracy and those dino crates must be behind it or those republican right wingers.Responsibility comes with voting ,and being able to validate you are who you say you are is part of that responsibility. There are people there to assist and advise.
Everything cost money,that's a fact. And food stamp vouchers or debit cards are also identification. As are senior citizen discount cards. Pardon me, but will you get real !

[pnwmom]

20. You're the one who needs to "get real." In Washington state,

the voter I.D. card that the poster submitted to poll workers is a fully sufficient form of I.D. No additional photo I.D. may be required. These poll workers were ignorant of the law, and the poster was correct to call them on it. Obviously, these poll workers received insufficient training.

P.S.

It's funny that you think a senior citizen discount card should count for I.D., but not the county-issued voter I.D. card that the poster provided.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

21. I think you would much rather

make it all out to be what you want it to be. I further think a simple phone call will resolve the issue.Poll workers have what you call supervisors ,isn't that correct? And so thant means they must fallow instructions, isn't that correct? You said call them out on it,isn't that right? (them, they,it).

So what do you do when you encounter a problem that doesn't seem right to you, oh, say a bill that is too high, not at all in line with real cost ?
What you do is make a phone call, you check it out. You fallow it up.
Key point, check it out. You check it out so your thoughts and suspicions don't run wild on you.

You have the road map to the solution of your dispute here, it is within you.

You said it!

Call them out.

Make a phone call, check it out. Or is wallowing in voter outrage a better way about it ? !

[pnwmom]

22. The poster is correct, you're not. Here's the law:

http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/pollingplaces.aspx

All poll voters must show identification
All poll voters are required by law to show identification in order to vote a regular poll ballot. RCW 29A.44.205

Acceptable forms of identification
Driver’s license
State issued identification card
Student identification card
Tribal identification card
Voter registration card
Current utility bill
Recent bank statement
Paycheck
Government check
Other government document
Any form of valid photo identification with the voter’s name on it

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

23. Why didn't the poster

ask to speak to their supervisor and through her past experience ,speak to a person of a supervisory status to either correct the problem or have it explained why it is a voter registration is not acceptable at this location, when the law say's it is ? Would that not be a proper, responsible way about it?

Here's the deal, All I showed (and I voted after I read the poster's post) was my voter registration card, which I had inside my voter pamphlet ,used as a book mark.So I opened my pamphlet and low and behold, there I am.,all signed in.

Of course my poll place is also a community church.
The person who would have signed me in was taking lunch, I asked are we missing someone? The person that signed me in said, oh, with a smile, (THEY) allow us a half hour for lunch.


I could have very easily discussed the posters issue with
(their ) supervisor, but I did not> Why do you think I did not?
I'll tell you why, because I also know I could have called (their) supervisor any time I want.

Did the poster fallow up on any of it? Not that I noticed other than comments.If the poster would have, than I would have too. So there you go.

Before I voted, I had to ask several people if it was OK to park in the church parking lot, I asked because the sign at the entrance said reserved for church attendance.And I noticed that people were street parking ,and my truck was one of two vehicles in the church parking lot,plus that sign. They all thought it was OK, those were the three answers I got, the third person who was no first timer went on to say, don't worry about it, your fine right where you are. Now without a doubt, there was a certain degree of uncertainty remaining, Or I could have thought, (my oh my, (they) don't even know ) (?) And than come to find that the person that is designated to sign me in isn't right there in that chair ! Man oh man I'm tell'en ya ,right off the old bat this is look'en pretty bleek ! Something going on here ! They don't know about parking, someone missing in that chair right there!Them there machines look pretty suspicious too !They even asked me if I wanted to vote through the touch screen! They don't know about parking, someone missing in that chair right there ,and they ask me if I want to vote on a touch screen? No, no, gimme the hard card !I'm old fashion ! By the way, I wonder if (they) will photo copy it for me ,cause I don't trust them !

But isn't trust valid? Or at some point in the action we must have faith.Faith in ourselves and faith in what else?