Married, divorced women at risk of being disenfranchised on Nov. 6
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Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:09 PM EDT
Women add to the list of voters who are potential casualties of disenfranchisement from restrictive voting laws, as reports show that women have an increasingly difficult path to obtaining proper photo ID.
Discrepancies over a voter's legal name and the name displayed on their photo ID could stand in the way of their ability to cast a ballot in states that have enacted strict photo ID laws. That means if a woman's name or address has changed due to marriage or divorce and her photo ID does not reflect the change, she could be turned away at the polls.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, as many as 34% of voting-age women—who have proof of citizenship—do not have documents with their current legal name.
And as MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry points out, in Pennsylvania where a controversial voter ID has returned to a lower court, recently married or divorced women face an uphill battle in order to vote.
In an asterisk section at the bottom of the Pennsylvania Department of State Voter ID rules, the requirements reads:
*In this example a voter who recently changed her name by reason of marriage presents a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or Pennsylvania ID card accompaniedby a PennDOT update card, which is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Voter ID law regarding proof of identification.
"You need not one, but two forms of ID if you are a [woman]—there is officially a tax on being a woman in Pennsylvania if you want to vote," Harris-Perry said.
Ari Berman, who has covered voter ID laws extensively for The Nation magazine, added that Pennsylvania voters would also be subject to the individual discretion of workers at over 9,000 different polling places.
"We're talking about, at the very least, a lot of chaos on election day," he said.
Just another example of how the Republicans are trying to supress women...now it's our right to vote! Harkening back to the old days!
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#1 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:45 PM EDT
"Just another example of how the Republicans are trying to supress [non-white republican males...now it's everyone's] right to vote! Harkening back to the old days!"
Fixed it for you
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We need to Petition !
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#2 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:46 PM EDT
This may help. Add your clause and pass it along to your friends.
When in the course of human events it became necessary for our leaders to dissolve the political bonds which connected them to others and assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature’s God entitled them, their respect for the opinions of humanity compelled them to enumerate the causes, and their vision, courage and determination to end tyranny guided them to pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the protection of the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They established this nation, and the history of this nation is a chronicle of the struggle to provide these rights to all people, here and abroad. Common sense dictates that we do not discard the government and institutions that have advanced that struggle further than any other in the history of humanity. But when rich and powerful forces in society use and abuse the rights and freedoms secured by these institutions to reserve these riches, powers, rights and freedoms for themselves and reduce all other people to poverty and deprivation and subject these people to their tyranny with the consequence of degrading the global habitat, subjecting it to stresses that, unrelieved, will destroy its power to sustain the people, then it is the right and the duty of the people to counter these forces and restore the rights, freedoms and habitat all people need to thrive. Such is the current state of affairs and such is the necessity which compels the people to identify and abolish these abuses. We submit these facts to a candid world.
The citizens of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Russia have identified and remedied, with varying degrees of success, the abuses by their rulers designed to enrich themselves and keep their peoples in a state of poverty and tyranny. The current Administration has taken measures and instituted policies that support such remedies without affecting the sacred right of these peoples to choose their own safeguards of their unalienable rights. This is in direct opposition to the policies of the previous Administration which sought to dictate and manage this change in sovereign nations and the critics who represent the forces that benefit from such policies. These events demonstrate the extent these forces endeavor to exercise their control of human events and the measures needed to abolish such control for the benefit of humanity.
The vast majority of scientific research on global climate change leads to the conclusion that our environment is warming at a dangerous rate due to the increase of carbon in the atmosphere. This change is reliably linked by the same research to human activity involving fossil fuels. This research has predicted that this warming can destroy the planet as a habitat for human life. The forces that benefit from this current state have advanced scientists to challenge the conclusions of this research in order to postpone or forestall the steps necessary to remedy our climate. These scientists risk being discredited by the scientific community due to the preponderance of evidence against their position in this debate. This obstruction of scientific inquiry that sustains these forces threatens all of humanity.
(Note: Everyone is entitled to add to this in order to represent all points of view. Others can take on the financial crisis, the Gulf Oil Spill, Congressional deadlock, Citizens United, state laws targeting collective bargaining rights, voting rights, reproductive rights – any subject you feel affects the 99%. The only requirement is that the statement be factual. Read the Declaration of Independence and you will see that the Founding Fathers saw fit to include only truths, not opinions, in their causes; it is up to us to do the same. Good luck!)
During all these incidents the people sought to accommodate the rich and powerful forces in order to preserve themselves and their posterity. Such accommodation only engendered further abuse and attempts to increase their riches and power over the people. We still seek accommodation since the rich and powerful share humanity with us and, therefore, are equally entitled to these rights and freedoms. We will treat them as we treat everyone in the struggle to preserve these rights, freedoms and habitat – condemn them as oppressors, welcome them as partners.
We, therefore, unite to call for justice over tyranny, fairness over greed, and global survival over destruction. Humanity, at this point in history, requires no less.
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True. I experienced this when I moved to Florida in May. First they wouldn't take my hospital long form birth certificate - they insisted upon a certified certificate. Ironic that Tea Party folks wouldn't accept the President's certified certificate, but rather wanted to see his hospital long form. Because my married name was different from my birth certificate, I had to produce my marriage license. I don't know about you, but I have no idea where my license is - plus, we had just moved to Florida and we were not unpacked. I had to order the marriage license from Colorado - in the process, I remembered that I had used my previous marriage name on the marriage license. So I also had to order my divorce papers from Illinois. In all, I had to spend about $60 plus travel costs. This is ridiculous and sad that the Republicans feel they can't win an election so they have to suppress the vote to steal it. Good news, though, I did get registered to vote.
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#3 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:50 PM EDT
Try getting a driver's license in SC. It took me ten years and I drove on a license from another state till I could meet all the requirements for SC, the last of which was asking for my DIVORCE papers. It's a good reason to stay with your birth name if you want to be counted as a citizen of the U.S. without hassle.
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I still don't know why there is not more Federal pressure put on these states. It should go to the Supreme Court. At these polling places I hope individuals without the IDs say they are going to vote and see what happens.
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#4 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:54 PM EDT
Such a shame that all this takes place in this election, just as it did in the last. It should be obvious to our courts, maybe they are part of those who do not believe that we are equal. To those people it is a shame that you feel so inadequate, that you have turn to trying to win an election by taking our voting right away.
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#5 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:02 PM EDT
Here in Quebec, women are strongly discouraged by the government from changing their names upon getting married. As a Quebec resident, married in Quebec, I would have to spend a small fortune in legal fees to change my name. The advantage being that I don't have this problem. I'm not saying it's the best solution or that it would work anywhere else, just that it's how the govenment of Quebec solved this problem.
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#7 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:01 PM EDT
Of course Republicans MUST understand that when they disenfranchise, they are also blocking potential Republican voters. Right? Unless of course, they are dense enough to think that ONLY scared wealthy white men are their base.
oh...yeah, nevermind.
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#8 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:23 PM EDT
They may disenfranchise a few Republicans, but the large majority is Democrat. The biggest pool of Republicans they hurt may be in the old who no longer drive, and may not have the money or means to organize proper papers, then a way to get to the license bureau, or the health to stand in line for 4 to 8 hours.
But, they have calculated that the bulk the disenfranchise are Democrats.. Those in the city who depend on mass transit so never got a license are normally poor and minorities. They then put the license bureau out of the city. So these people need to find money to get supporting documents, and find a way other then mass transit to get to a license bureau, they may need to take a day off from work which some can't do without loosing their jobs, others will could but would loose a day of pay.. And if they did not collect all the RIGHT certificates of proof, it may mean more then one day as they need to repeat this cycle a few times.
This women angle is something that is a new twist to me. Again another group who lean Democratic.
Well any Republican trapped in this net, may turn Democrat before they work their way out, so then they become the half of this country that the Republicans can write off.
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Alright this is just getting stupid & showing that the GOP has no honor to save their lives.
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#9 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:44 PM EDT
The Republican Party is an embarrassment to the United States. How can the country that touts itself as the leader of the "free" world to the rest of the world behave this way? I've never seen so much hatred and blatant racism and misogyny in my life. These politicians may just think that they are playing politics, but they are actually showing their lack of character. It's disturbing and disgusting.
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#10 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:20 PM EDT
While nothing you said in this piece was technically wrong, I didnt find it to be the best use of the facts from the research you were citing. I decided to find out exactly how that 32 million figure was calculated due to (this reddit post). [contains link to research cited and my methodology]
The 32 million figure is all women in the US without the proper proof of citizenship (with current name). While it is the case that those women wont be able to vote in states with voter ID, only a portion of those women actually live in states that have voter ID. A more accurate number would be how many of them lived in voter ID states rather than the whole 32 million.
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#11 - Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:22 PM EDT
It also affects women in WY. In order to get a drivers license every four years, we have to provide our birth certificate, marriage license to provide proof of name change and proof of address, etc. It's disgraceful.
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#12 - Sun Sep 23, 2012 12:17 AM EDT
Florida has the same women's voter supression laws. I went to get a simple change of address on my driver's license and was shocked to find I now need all of this documentation just to get a change of address AND I already had a FL driver's license. I had just renewed it a year ago. Unbelievable! I was married twice. So I had to submit 5 legal (court) documents just to make myself a valid driver in Florida! I was told by the state employees it was because they were cracking down on illegal immigrants. shm. Needless to say it's taken me some time to obtain all these legal documents during which time I was driving on a invalid driver's license because my address was incorrect. Imagine, how many woman are going to go to the polls this year and find they don't have all the legal documents to prove they are who they are and live where they do. I know many women who are having a hell of a time trying to get the proper court documents just to obtain a valid driver's license here in Florida. Women who have voted for years that will now be turned away at the voting booths. Unbelievable the new lows this Republican party will stoop to! If they can win it fair and square they will cheat. Proving the Republican party is NOT the direction we want to take this country. It is no damn different than a country ruled by dictatorship! They will tell us women we can't vote, women can't use birth control, women are not capable of making their own choices about their healthcare and bodies, of course no abortions, we are not worthy of a decent paycheck, taking away healthcare for seniors and children while they keep hoards of OUR tax payers dollars to themselves and redistribute to their wealthy friends. How is this different than a dictatorship?
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#13 - Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:39 AM EDT
Its shameful and a disgrace to the American people that a well honored, long history political party should disenfranchise half the nation, its women and yet bow down and kiss the hand of the big corporations. "Don't close all your doors behind you, coz you may want to come back".
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#14 - Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:16 AM EDT
No woman should ever change her name. Marriage is an illusion, an invention. Women are not men's property, they should keep their name.
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#15 - Sun Sep 23, 2012 12:40 PM EDT
Chalk up another on for the Republicans,,
Why Any women would vote for these ,,,,,, is beyond me..
The Handmaid's Tale [Margaret Atwood]
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#16 - Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:16 PM EDT
We as women need to stand up to the despotic abuse of authority of those that look to enslave those who would vote against them. Women, seniors, low income individuals, hispanics and blacks are to be enslaved because we are different. Republicans see us as strong, liberated, independent in mind, superior than their own voters. We are Democrats, and we rule, while Republicans drool.....
We need to take a stand and help our Democratic family show up at the polls and vote, as President Obama says
don't boo, vote. vote, vote....
I mean Romney believes that 47% of this country, are moochers, lazy, not responsible, free loaders, and believe we are entitled to have the government take care of us.
They do not know us, nor do they care to. Romney stated today that for those who do not have health coverage, should be taken care of by the emergency rooms, or just die. Decrease the surplus population, the only ones who matter are the Fortune 500 wealthy Americans list. The only way to change what is happening in Washington is to get out and VOTE!!!!! My two cents worth
They do not know us, nor do they care to. Romney stated today that for those who do not have health coverage, should be taken care of by the emergency rooms, or just die. Decrease the surplus population, the only ones who matter are the Fortune 500 wealthy Americans list. The only way to change what is happening in Washington is to get out and VOTE!!!!! My two cents worth
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#17 - Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:54 PM EDT
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