raw wrote:That's a broad stroke that doesn't even begin to cover the issue. Example: A state ID costs money, money that some people do not have. Typically, a utility bill or other form of identification (without a cost) is used to prevent an unintended (and illegal) poll tax.
My point is that while we have the "right", the fact that we have to enroll into something that should be automatically enrolled. The system is used to suppress votes.
As a citizen your automatically approved, just need to prove citizenship for tracking. A bill statement is not a secure document to prove citizenship. For example a DMV non-driver ID card from NY, the fees seem trivial(
https://dmv.ny.gov/id-card/fees-refunds):
Fees for Standard Non-Driver ID Cards
STANDARD NON-DRIVER ID CARD------------------------------------VALID----FEE
Under age 62, your next birthday is within the next 6 months----4 years-----$9.50
Under age 62, your next birthday is more than 6 months away---8 yearS----$14.00
Under age 62 and receive SSI---------------------------------------10 years----$6.50
Age 62 or older-------------------------------------------------------10 years----$6.50
Age 62 or older and receive SSI-------------------------------------10 years----No Fee
Any age and receive temporary assistance---------------------------4 years----No Fee
Birth certificate or naturalization document are others, so where is this massive suppression? The court does not identify this as a substantial burden either: "The Court added that, although obtaining a government-issued photo identification is an inconvenience to voters, it surely does not qualify as a substantial burden." ***
*** Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, 128 S. Ct. 1610, 1621 (2008) (plurality). See Fourteenth Amendment, Voting and Ballot Access, infra.
I would vote to pass law to waive the fee for any citizen making less then 50K for example to end this debate and "get er done" so to speak.
