North Carolina Voter ID Bill Signed Into Law By Gov. Pat McCrory, Sparking Lawsuits

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill Monday requiring photo identification at the polls and eliminating a slew of voting measures designed to protect against voter disenfranchisement.

The governor, eschewing a more traditional signing ceremony, announced by way of a YouTube video that he had signed House Bill 589.

The bill will require voters to show photo identification -- a driver's license, passport, veteran's ID, tribal card -- beginning in the 2016 elections. Student IDs are not an acceptable form of identification. The bill also reduces early voting by a week, eliminates same-day registration, ends pre-registration for 16-and-17 year-olds and a student civics program, kills an annual state-sponsored voter registration drive and lessens the amount of public reporting required for so-called dark money groups, also known as 501(c)(4)s.

The bill does provide for a "free ID" to be offered at DMVs, though the state estimates that between 203,351 and 318,643 voters registered in North Carolina lack ID, and that providing them with one would cost $834,200 in 2013 and 2014, and $24,100 every two years after that.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/north-carolina-voter-id_n_3745253.html

[AlbertCat]

1. Well, ay least we have until 2016...

.... to have it declared unconstitutional.

Perhaps in court someone will force them to show exactly why these new restrictions are needed.... how they make the voting process more fair... and whether there is any benefit to the state, finically or otherwise.

[struggle4progress]

6. Some provisions take effect in 2014

[essaynnc]

2. The rest of the junk that they're signing into law starts now (or sooner)

Repeal of the estate tax
Cutting of unemployment benefits across the board
Outlawing of teacher tenure
Cuts in # of teachers and assistants in classrooms
Cuts in $ for education
Closing of most abortion providers
Didn't accept the medicaid(?) expansion
Cut corporate taxes
Cut income taxes to high wage earners
Proposed to increase the sales tax
Ended the tax-free weekend for purchasing school clothes and items.

And has the GAUL to say that most people in NC want this stuff...??????!!!!!!? As long as by MOST, he means the top 1% or so..........

[SaveAmerica]

16. What about deleting the tax benefit for families whose children vote in their college

campus' county instead of coming home to vote? Was it included in this bill?

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. We've had that condition for some time, no problem

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I do not see why this should even be an issue.

In Ontario anyways, if one does not have a drivers' licence or other acceptable photo ID,

our government charges us for a photo ID card,

and again, not a biggee - it's around $40.00.

USAmericans can get them free

but still whining.



CC

[jmowreader]

8. A North Carolina ID card is $10

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. That was my point - no big deal

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.
.

CC

[jmowreader]

19. Unless you are a cashier or a cook, then everything is a big deal

[struggle4progress]

9. Have you read the bill?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. "I do not see why this should even be an issue"

Amendment XXIV

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

[SaveAmerica]

15. It's not free here (I'm in NC), our taxes pay for them and the system

has worked fine, has been clean and good for years without issues or the need to take taxpayer money to pay for something unnecessary.

Also, their budget will take money from other programs that are beneficial (unemployment, education) while requiring the state to pay for this. I don't appreciate their inability to plan the spending of our state's income in such a wasteful way that is constitutionally unfair.

[lark]

20. Think you may be underestimating the cost.

I know in FL, you have to have your social security card & actual birth certificate to get a drivers' license or state ID. Both of these have costs associated with them. I think I paid around $70 last year to get these so I could renew my license. They wouldn't take my laminated but broken social security card nor my laminated and in good shape birth certificate. So $70 in costs then $40 for the ID = $110. This can be a lot of $$ for some people. Throw in those poor folks who can't drive or get around to the various government agencies, and that's a big hurdle as was totally intended.

[ConcernedCanuk]

21. FLA is messed up in more ways than one.

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.
.

I've read other posters with State costs for Photo ID

none seem to be anywhere close to FLA.

FLA has a problem, oops, . . sorry,

FLA has PROBLEMS!!!

mega.

CC

[lark]

22. Sadly agree

Rick Scott, Pam Bondi and the FL legislature are all HUGE problems.

[No Vested Interest]

4. I'd like to see all 318,000+ getting the free ID, and having

you know who (R's) yelping about the expense.

Churches and other groups should arrange "registration trips" to the DMVs, whom I'm sure don't have the personnel and supplies necessary for all those "free IDs".

Also, letters to the editors should commence immediately.

[cstanleytech]

5. Maybe we (democrats) could use this against the republicans in another way as well?

Perhaps every democrat in NC should be encouraged to take advantage of getting the "free" ID even if they have a license already? Assuming of course they are allowed to apply for a free one that way there will be plenty of shrill screams if the costs for supplying the IDs is much higher than they claimed it would be.

[SaveAmerica]

14. Great minds, I wrote below that I would like a refund of my Driver's License

since it will be required by the state that I have it to vote.

[John2]

7. These ID cards

should be UnConstitutional,because they are not free. The money for them come out of the General Funds of North Carolina,which is really an extra tax burden on North Carolinans. He cut unemployment benefits to pay for this.

That was his idea of good public policy. We also pay fees for other IDs such as a Drivers License in North Carolina. It does affect the poor. I don't see why an ID wouldn't be considered personal property either. I think registering to vote is good enough. It is just a matter of officials doing their jobs and people are warned it is against the law.

There is also very little evidence of it in North Carolina and the system already in place, worked fine. The Governor and legislature has no proof more measures were needed. Now it will cost the State of North Carolina more defending itself in Court. I suggest other people that have been hurt by this Governor and legislature bring lawsuits against them in Court. Especially poor people and individual North Carolinians. I don't see how they can retroactively cut emergency benefits, the state already promised to people. To me, that is like reneging on a contract by the state. I could see how they could have done it after the contract expires, but not when something had already been promised. Because, wouldn't reneging on monetary benefits cause harm to the people getting it? I don't see how the state cannot be sued off other acts, in a class action case? Get actual North Carolinians affected by them in a Class Action suits against them. They are not representing the interests of the people of North Carolina. They are representing the Kochs and Art Popes.

[Kingofalldems]

11. Never trust a republican

[Phlem]

12. Wonder what

Eric Holder is doing right now?

-p

[John2]

18. He needs to

doing his job, instead of choosing to bust people for pot. This is more important than that. He should have enough Civil Rights violations by the Republicans to finish his Term. President Obama needs to be focusing on Rights in this country, instead of other countries. The United States has no right to talk about Human Rights, because they are the biggest violater in my opinion. This country has a long history of it. The Supreme Court in particular is a very good example. We have a bunch of Taney's on the Court, appointed by the Right.

[SaveAmerica]

13. I would like a refund on my driver's license then, Mr. Governor

This is a crock and I hope the lawsuits shoot it down.