Harsh new Texas voter ID law almost blocks woman judge from voting

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Isn't this what the tealiban wanted?

A new voter ID law requiring strict uniformity across all forms of identification nearly kept a Texas district judge from being able to cast her ballot in the state’s early voting session. According to Think Progress, Judge Sandra Watts was challenged at the poll when she presented her usual ID.

“What I have used for voter registration and for identification for the last 52 years was not sufficient yesterday when I went to vote,” 117th District Court Judge Sandra Watts told KIII-TV.

Watts said she has voted in every election for the last 49 years and that her name on her driver’s license has remained the same for the last 52. The address on her license and voter registration card have been the same for more than two decades. However, on Tuesday, at the outset of early voting for the Nov. 5 election, the judge was asked to sign a “voter’s affidavit” saying that she is who she says she is before she would be allowed to vote.

The problem was that her maiden name was listed as her middle name on her driver’s license, whereas on her voter registration card, her actual middle name is listed. This small discrepancy was enough to have her flagged as a potentially fraudulent voter.

Under laws recently adopted by the Republican-led state legislature, anyone whose name differs even slightly from one form of ID to another is automatically flagged for possible vote fraud. The new policy could particularly impact women who now go by married or hyphenated names.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/23/harsh-new-texas-voter-id-law-almost-blocks-woman-judge-from-voting/

[Gothmog]

1. The Texas Voter ID law is stupid but the Texas Sec. of State is trying to lessen this problem

First, please understand that I hate the Texas voter id law and want to see if struck down. In this case, the judge in question was allowed to cast a regular ballot if she signed an affidavit. The Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Department of Public Safety are trying to be less unreasonable right now in part due to the lawsuit filed by a couple of groups of plaintiffs and the Department of Justice. One of the more reasonable rulings of the Texas SOS is describe below.

I live in the same county as Juanita Jean and her husband is the Democratic Party Chair for our county. At one of the training sessions held by the Texas Secretary of State, this issue was discussed and the Texas Sec. of State made a ruling that is being followed. http://www.juanitajean.com/2013/10/21/whats-in-a-name/

However, when the Secretary of State conducted training for election judges in Austin, Texas, it was made very clear that if a woman’s driver’s license and her voter registration has the same first name, address, and DOB, she can sign an affidavit attesting that she is the same person and then she can vote a regular ballot. I know that’s a hassle that women shouldn’t have to do and we should fight it.

Ask women to re-register to vote in the same name that’s on her driver’s license or give her the information she needs to vote a regular ballot. But, please, pretty please, don’t tell her she can’t vote. Unless she’s wearing a “Ted Cruz for God, Junior” button and then softly inform he that she’s going to hell.

Thanks for your cooperation.

I have confirmed that this ruling is being followed in my county with one of the election judges who is working on early voting. My youngest child is going to be an election judge for our precinct and she is going to confirm that this rule is going to be discussed and followed in my county.

Again, you get to caste a regular ballot and that ballot will count. Signing an affidavit should not be a big deal in that every time you vote in Texas you sign the combination form which is in effect an affidavit as to your identity. After signing this ballot, you will be given a chance to change the name on the voting records so that this name matches your drivers' license. If you do this, you will not have any issues in the future.

Again, the Texas SOS and the Texas DPS are trying to be less unreasonable right now due to the litigation.

[sammytko]

2. This might be a problem for me

I don't know why my voter registration card has my ex husbands last name as my middle name.

I voted in a special election last month and they barely looked at my ID. I used my military ID.

Guess it helps that the election workers are my cousins. Lol

But I will get it fixed, you never know.

[roguevalley]

3. i see your argument but bs becomes the norm if it isnt fought every time.

I would hate this shit period.

[Gothmog]

4. Please report any issues with voting in Texas to Texas Democratic Party

Please report any issues with the Texas voter id law to the state party by going to this link http://act.txdemocrats.org/page/s/voter-id