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The Challenge of Obtaining Voter ID

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Virginia recently strengthened its voter ID requirements, but did not require government-issued photo IDs, as discussed in this post.

The Brennan Center  just issued a report on other states, however, that have this requirement:  “Ten states now have unprecedented restrictive voter ID laws.  Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin all require citizens to produce specific types of government-issued photo identification before they can cast a vote that will count.  Legal precedent requires these states to provide free photo ID to eligible voters who do not have one.  Unfortunately, these free IDs are not equally accessible to all voters.”

“This report is the first comprehensive assessment of the difficulties that eligible voters face in obtaining free photo ID.  The 11 percent of eligible voters who lack the required photo ID must travel to a designated government office to obtain one.  Yet many citizens will have trouble making this trip.”  As the report details, many of the state ID-issuing offices are long distances from voters, lack public transportation, and have limited business hours.  Moreover, the documentation required to obtain a photo ID, including birth certificates and marriage licenses, can cost up to $25.  “By comparison, the notorious poll tax — outlawed during the civil rights era — cost $10.64 in current dollars.”Read More »The Challenge of Obtaining Voter ID

2012 Democratic National Convention Opens Up

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The DNC announced that the final night of the Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte’s football stadium, which can hold  70,000 people.  The Convention also will be shortened to 3 days and the day before the convention starts will be a day to celebrate Virginia, and other southern states.  For more Convention information, sign up for updates from this site and the official DNC Convention Site. Read More »2012 Democratic National Convention Opens Up

Judge to GOP Candidates: You Snooze, You Lose

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Federal District Judge John Gibney yesterday rejected the efforts by GOP Presidential candidates Perry, Gingrich, Santorum, and Huntsman to litigate their way onto the Virginia March 6, 2012 primary ballot.   Each of the candidates had failed to comply with the Virginia statutory requirement that they obtain 10,000 signatures to qualify for the primary.  In its Opinion, the Court held that their request for a preliminary injunction to place them on the ballot was barred by the equitable doctrine of laches – meaning that they waited too long to challenge the law, and a change at this time would disrupt the printing of the ballots and the primary process.  “In essence, they played the game, lost, and then complained the rules were unfair.”  Op. at 2.  In doing so, the candidates “displayed an unreasonable and inexcusable lack of diligence.”  Op. at 11.Read More »Judge to GOP Candidates: You Snooze, You Lose

Failed GOP Presidential Candidates Seek Federal Court Ruling that VA GOP, SBE Violated Voting Rights Act

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After only Willard Romney and Ron Paul timely submitted the required 10,000 signatures (with 400 from each CD) to qualify for the Virginia GOP primary ballot, Rick Perry sued Virginia State Board of Elections (“SBE”) members (Judd, Bowers, and Palmer) and Republican Party of Va. (“RPVA”) Chair (Pat  Mullins), in their official capacities, in federal court.  Perry sought to litigate his way onto the ballot by having the Court issue an injunction prohibiting the SBE from enforcing the law and compelling the RPVA to place him on the ballot.  Perry v. Judd, Civ. No. 3;11-cv-856-JAG (E.D. Va. Dec. 27, 2011).  The Court invited the other GOP candidates to intervene, and Santorum, Gingrich, and Huntsman did so.  The Court set a schedule requiring opening briefs to be filed on Jan. 6, responses on Jan. 11, and a hearing with live witnesses on Jan. 13.  Here are some of the highlights of the briefs the parties filed yesterday.Read More »Failed GOP Presidential Candidates Seek Federal Court Ruling that VA GOP, SBE Violated Voting Rights Act

DNC State Chairs Group Meets

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One of the most important groups within the Democratic National Committee is the Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC), which consists of each state’s party chair, first vice chair, and executive director.  The ASDC meets four times a year and just concluded its winter meeting here in Las Vegas.  Over the past three days, the ASDC presented speeches, panels, and workshops providing practical information and guidance on issues  including state party budgeting, state party fundraising (including for the national convention), social media,  party administration, DNC and state party constituency efforts, national convention best practices, DNC technology, state party campaign structure, voter protection efforts, and updates on President Obama’s campaign and the national convention. The DPVA was well represented by VC Gaylene Kanoyton and ED Dave Mills, and I attended with DNC members Mame Reiley, Doris Crouse-May and Susan Swecker, and Sen. Louise Lucas.   Some highlight of the sessions I attended:Read More »DNC State Chairs Group Meets

NHL Rulz

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When a player commits a penalty and gets injured (like Beagle in last night’s Caps game), the penalty is served by a substitute (in that… Read More »NHL Rulz