One man, One Vote. It's that simple, right?
Governor Lynch vetoed Senate Bill 129, which would require a voter to present photo ID to cast a ballot in any municipal, state or federal election in New Hampshire. Here's what he had to say in this veto message yesterday:
"Voter turnout in New Hampshire is among the highest in the nation, election after election. There is no voter fraud problem in New Hampshire. We already have strong elections laws that are effective in regulating our elections."
Republican lawmakers disagree, obviously. Speaker William L. O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon, contends that if a citizen must have a photo ID to drive a car, for example, it is no stretch to require them to flash a similar ID to pick up a ballot. Here's O'Brien's remarks on what he calls a bill to ensure clean elections.
There's a big difference between driving a car or going to a bank, and having the right to vote in a democracy that millions of Americans have fought to protect for two centuries.
The hoops and loops created by this bill will discourage some people from exercising their constitutional right. And it won't "guarantee" any greater integrity -- high school kids have for longer than I've been alive shown us that getting an "ID" is not all that difficult if you want to commit something illegal.
It is illegal with serious consequences to commit voter fraud already. Our current laws protect the integrity of our voting process, while allowing Americans their right.
Posted by: Jim Splaine | June 30, 2011 at 09:15 AM
All the hyperbole aside, the US election system is a joke and the Supreme Court is having the last laugh (http://www.journaltribune.com/articles/2011/07/02/editorial/doc4e0e6ba4b74c6711679294.txt) Money buys those votes that can't take the time to thoroughly research the issues and make informed decisions.Sadly, that enough of the US electorate to make this country more oligarchy than democracy. Campaign finance reform is the single greatest threat this country faces and no one is talking about it. Amazing!!!!
Posted by: barney rubble | July 02, 2011 at 08:21 AM
Barney -- actually, many people are talking about it -- and doing something about it. Campaign finance reform is necessary to protect democracy.
Granny D. -- Doris Haddock, the woman who at 90 walked across the nation for the cause -- died last year at age 100, but not until she continued the fight in New Hampshire for a volunary public campaign financing system. There's got to be a way to make it work. I, and others, worked with her on the cause, and we had bills in the N.H. House to achieve her program. Another is going in next January.
You can also check out Americans for Campaign Finance Reform (http://www.acrreform.org/) which actually is a partially New Hampshire-based Washington and nationwide group founded by Democrat and former U.S. Senate candidate John Rauh of New Castle, N.H. It's a growing organization for the cause of protecting democracy.
We need good people to get on board.
Posted by: Jim Splaine | July 03, 2011 at 11:18 PM
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