Proving your identification is a part of everyday life in the US. I had to show my ID in order to prove I was really myself so that I could take the SAT my junior year of high school. I had to show my ID a few months ago when I bought a scratch off at a gas station, to prove I met the age required to do so. I had to show my ID last week when I purchased clothes at Old Navy in order to prove that I was the person that I was claiming to be when using my credit card.
All of these events required me to prove I was who I said I was and that I met to requirements for whatever action I was trying to accomplish. I feel that voter laws are asking the same thing of voters.
ID laws would require voters to prove that they have met the qualifications to vote which are that they have to be a US citizens, at least 18 years of age and cannot be a convicted felon or be deemed mentally incapacitated. Not that strict right? I don't think there is anything wrong with requiring voters to show some form of state or federal issued ID. Such laws would keep elections "fair, beyond reproach, [and] accurately reflecting the will of the people, as Governor Perry stated while commenting on the purpose of voter ID legislation.
How is this discrimination? I don't see how it is. It is simply making sure people have met the requirements to have a say in the matters of their state and country. While it may end up lessening the vote of the minority in Texas due to the large amount of illegal immigrants, I believe that this is fair because they are not citizens and have not met all of the stipulations to have the right to vote, and that's just the way I see it.
2 comments:
I completely agree with your post. Texas should require a photo ID when people are about to vote. Our State legislature should make sure that there is no fraud being committed and should protect peoples identity while practicing their right to vote. By fraud I mean people lying about their identity to be able to vote twice. This would make an election untrue and unfair. Also, I agree that this law is not discriminatory at all. I feel that it would not lessen minority rights because having a Texas ID means that you have met all the requirements to obtain one. There would be no decrease or increase in minority votes in my opinion. Even though illegal immigrants do make up a large percentage of the minority population in Texas they are not given the right to vote due to their status of citizenship. I understand that there is a small percentage included in the minority groups that do meet the requirements to be able to vote and obtain a Texas ID card. Their rights would not be affected at all by this law and will be able to practice their right to vote.
I totally agree with you on this point. Any school, state or official office in general will require one to have some kind of state issued ID whether drivers license or passport and it makes even more sense to have an ID in order to vote. Voting is an important issue in society since we are choosing people that would lead and make major decisions in the state as such one must like you said have met the qualifications to vote which are that they have to be a US citizens, at least 18 years of age and cannot be a convicted felon or be deemed mentally incapacitated. This will allow for a fair environment and guarantee that voters at least have a clue as to what or who they might be voting for. Also you said that this might lessen votes especially in Texas were the majority are Hispanics and some illegal, and though this is true, most of these immigrants are looking to get their permanent residency and eventually citizenship status so this might boost voter turnout in the long run like it did in Indiana and Georgia. Still this remains a fair and non discrimination requirement in the state.
Post a Comment