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Ashlee Culverhouse / Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP
Dorothy Cooper, left, shows her voter identification card to Jewel McSpadden,Tuesday morning at the Westside voting station at Boynton Terrace in Chattanooga, Tenn. Cooper made national news last year when she struggled to get identification due to a previous marital name change.
Few glitches were reported with new voter ID laws Tuesday in Tennessee and Oklahoma, two Super Tuesday states where picture identification was required for those casting ballots.
The Nashville Tennessean reported that only a handful of provisional ballots related to the new law were needed across the state. A voter in Tennessee without a picture ID could cast a ballot and then get a free picture ID and return it to a county election commission by Thursday for the ballot to be counted.
One registered voter, Tim Thompson, 55, of Inglewood, Tenn., refused to show his photo identification and then refused to cast a provisional ballot, officials told the Tennessean.
Romney scores narrow Super Tuesday win in pivotal Ohio
“We just fought a war to bring democracy to Iraq,’’ Thompson told the Tennessean. “Now, we’re passing laws that restrict and bring conditions to our right to vote. I sacrificed my right to vote in order to make this statement,’’ said the ex-Marine.
In Davidson County, one voter chose to cast a provisional ballot rather than show a photo ID, officials told the Tennessean.
"People are prepared when they come to the poll," said Blake Fontenay, spokesman for the Tennessee secretary of state's office.
Oklahoma officials reported no complaints about their state’s new voter-ID law, local news organizations and The Associated Press reported.
In Wisconsin, which holds its presidential primary on April 3, Dane County Judge David Flanagan on Tuesday issued a temporary injunction against the state’s new voter ID law as part of a lawsuit brought by the NAACP.
Voter ID laws passed last year in Alabama, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Advocates say they are needed to combat voter fraud. Opponents say the laws disenfranchise voters who may not be able to easily or freely get photo-identification cards.
Other problems
Ohio officials reported minor disruptions at two polling places, The Associated Press reported.
An Allen County Board of Elections official in northwest Ohio says a polling location was moved Tuesday morning from a high school to a nearby church after a bomb threat was called in to the school.
No bomb was found. The official said there was about a 15-minute delay while voters were directed to the new site.
The Franklin County elections board in Columbus said some voters at multiple-precinct locations left their polling places because workers were confused over which ballot to give them. Officials don't believe a large number of voters were affected. They were calling those who left to let them know they could return to vote.
Ohio voters were asked to vote twice, which caused a bit of confusion for some, NBC station WLWT reported.
When voters voted twice in the presidential race, they voted once for their favorite candidate for president, which counts toward the popular vote, and once for a slate of delegates assigned to a delegate even though the delegates are not obligated to vote for that candidate at the party convention.
In South Toledo, Ohio, voters in one precinct were given the wrong ballot. The Lucas County elections board said five people received ballots for the 5th congressional district instead of the 9th district. Kaptur’s staff said up to 70 people received the wrong ballot.
The Toledo Blade reported late Tuesday that the Ohio Secretary of State’s office reversed an earlier decision and said residents could vote again.
Two problems were reported at polling places in Memphis, Tenn., Shelby County Election Commission Chairman Robert Meyers told the Commercial Appeal.
Lifelink Church lost power due to a blown fuse, but voters could cast ballots because voting machines are battery operated, he said.
At Springdale Baptist Church a ruckus ensued after a poll worker asked which party’s ballot a voter wanted. The voter, who was not identified, claimed not to have enough money to be a Republican and the poll worker replied that the voter never would if he or she kept pulling Democratic ballots, Meyers said.
“That’s not the kind of conduct we want to condone on election day,” Meyers told the Commercial Appeal. “We reminded (poll workers) that we have to keep our personal views to ourselves.”
Leave a Comment:
This is why all those saying that these laws hurt minorities are full of it, there is no reason why this shouldn't be a requirement in all 50 states.
You need ID for so many activities in this day and age that requiring it to vote is not out of line at all, this will not stop or disenfranchise anyone who is legally allowed to vote.
Robbob-1667446
Tennessee is not the entire nation - not all 50 states are giving out free IDs.
All states requiring voter ID would be required to offer free ID under the 24th Amendment. So again not a problem period.
Robbob-1667446
would be required or are required?
Grammar really that's the best you can do? Considering the importance of this topic I would think that you could come up with a better argument.
Does not change the facts, all those that are complaining about these new laws are just crying wolf, they have no real argument against these laws period.
Robbob-1667446
I am not picking at your grammar - I am asking YOU if they are required or would
be required!!!!! It's a big difference between the two. It’s like saying I will
win the lottery or I have won the lottery! If all 50 states ARE required to
provide free IDs to all with zero inconvenience then I will agree with you. If
they are not required then I disagree with you.
You people look at it like what is the big deal - go get an ID. First, some people
work 2 jobs and taking time off to sit at RMV is either not possible or they
cannot afford to lose pay. Second, many people don't have cars (elderly, poor,
students). Third, and ID cost say about $50 (maybe less maybe more) which to
some people is still a lot of money.
The point is that voter fraud happens at about 3 people in 1 million. That is the
statistic. In 2008 132,618,580 people showed up to vote so that leaves 397.8
fraudulent votes. 400 people WILL NEVER influence a presidential campaign.
Heck, a president can win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote because
his younger brother comes up with a pregnant chad theory.
I think what we should be more concerned about fixing first is making sure that
people like the Secretary of State Charlie White don’t hold any positions. He
was found guilty on six felony counts of voter fraud, theft, and perjury.
In order for any state to be in compliance with the 24th Amendment they would be required to offer a free ID if they passed a voter ID law, as far as zero inconvenience goes that is bull, getting out and voting is an inconvenience in it self. Free is the cost so that would not be a problem.
As to voter fraud, in the last Washington State governors election the there were 3 recounts and the Dem finely won by about 2500 votes after a box of uncounted votes appeared, the problem was in King County alone they found more than that in illegal votes ie. felons, dead people, illegals, but not until after the election was certified. So yes I believe that voter fraud happens and this is just one more way to stop some of it from happening, any fraud is too much.
Hell Washington is still one of two states that still give Driver Licenses to illegals as it is, and they have no problem going to a government agency and admitting they are illegal, there are even special helpers to get them though the process.
she won by 129 votes, not 2500. If you actually spend 5 minutes on the story, you will find out that is wasn't due to VOTER FRAUD but to mishandling by the WORKERS. Pick a better bedtime story to convince me.
The Washington State Republican Party filed a restraining order in Pierce County District Court, requesting an injunction against King County to block the tabulation of the uncounted ballots. The request was granted on December 17, but Democrats appealed to the Supreme Court. On December 22, the court ruled against the Republican Party and overturned the restraining order, allowing King County to count all ballots. Why didn't the Republicans want to count them, Rob. What were they hiding? If you say they were fraudulent, wouldn't it be IN THE BEST INTEREST of the REpubs to COUNT THEM?????????
By the way, it is really sad to vote for yourself with multiple screen names. You must think people are idiots or something because you post something and soon after you have 2 votes (checkmark plus 1). No one comes here. I posted my post on Thu Mar 8, 2012 6:34 AM EST and there were 10 post all together. Make it a little more challenging for people to figure this out!
Sorry to disappoint but I only have one screen name and never stoop to petty personal attacks, I do how ever have friends that love to see me twist up libs.
Got to love Wiki, even when they get some things wrong.
You complain that such a small percentage of actual votes are fraudulent that it does not matter or effect the outcome of an election, well it did, to what extent we will never know.
Isn't voting so important a right and privilege that making sure that it is done right and protecting it's integrity more important anything else, shouldn't even on illegal vote be to much.
Look at all the problems that happened I wonder if they are going to change any laws to fix those problems. Remember we want to maintain the utmost integrity in our election process. (he he ha ha)
Not a problem if somehow they can make sure every previously registered voter has or gets a free ID. Voting is a constitutional right and should "Cost" somebody to be able to exercise that right. New voters have to register anyways and there should be an ID mechanism in place during that process. But what does it really matter when State GOP committees are moving the delegate count around. Isn't that considered a form of disenfranchisement?
Best line of the day...LOL Even though it entirely wrong and not truthful....Still funny as hell.
Photo shopping msn ? Picture shows elderly women struggling with a "harsh" law attempting to suppress their vote, by callouslyrequiring identification. Everyone knows this is not the "target" voters this law is trying to ferret out. Most citizens of this Nation, have some form of "legal" documentation. When voter fraud is exposed, non-citizens and even dead people, who do you think these PEOPLE vote for??? Seems that illegal aliens and even corpses vote Democrat.....imagine that, weird huh????