The Respect Our Vote Coalition held another demonstration outside the General Assembly this week, in blazing heat and high spirits. Browse these photos of the event and also this story from WRAL-TV, with a link to a video clip of Democracy NC organizer Shaunee Morgan, the super MC for the day. People from all over the state attended, not only to voice their support of Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of the photo ID bill but also to express dismay that conservative legislators are pushing another bill (S-47) that will make voting more difficult. N&O editor Jim Jenkins provided a real life example (published in his paper and the Laurinburg Exchange) of the significant burden the government photo ID bill would impose on honorable citizens. From the opposite perspective, Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory is literally raising money for his campaign by spreading fears about voter fraud and an invasion of “ACORN type organizers” into the state! He’s also asking you to post a video on his Facebook page about your perspective on the need for a government photo ID.
1-888-OUR-VOTE|info@democracy-nc.org
I believe we have the beginning of Democracy in NC in action with people from all over the state being galvanized by Pat McCrory’s facebook page. This is cleary a grass roots movement to encourage the NC House to over ride the governor’s vetoe.
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/Former-Charlotte-Mayor-Uses-Social-Media-to-Fight-Voter-ID-Bill-125696323.html
You have to show a photo id to cash a check, buy a train ticket, buy a lottery ticket and on and on, so is it too much to ask to safeguarde voting by requiring a photo id? No of course not!
I saw an interesting quote that makes a lot of sense, if voter fraud occurs, that will discourage voting. Ensuring that voter fraud does not occur will encourage more people to vote.
There’s not a single story on McCrory’s Facebook page that supports the idea that voter fraud exists. In fact there’s not a single story at all about voter ID on his page inviting people to post their stories. Not much of a success, I’d have to say.
Hi Jackson, I reckon you didn’t read everything. I believe the Governor and the Democrats are against these proposals as they have something to hide. They rely upon voter fraud. Here are a few of the stories:
Here’s a photo ID story from Zachary Donahue: “I was at the Hoy Auction hogguse in Wake Forest earlier this year when I heard a man proudly proclaim that he wasn’t registered to vote but had voted in every election of the last decade. How? He used someone else’s name every time. Pathetic.”
Tamsie Lynch Hey Pat – in 2008 election, there were several people who went to vote in Wilmington and couldn’t because someone else had voted and used their names. It is my understanding that a complaint was files etc. Especially when it was discovered that they had voted for the people these people had not planned on voting for. Also, in CB, after Ray Rothrock was no longer Mayor, he would watch the polls closely and several times stopped some people from being able to use other people’s names in voting.
Fred Johnson Luther did a good job showing a few examples. But the biggest arguement of the Dems in the house is there is no voter fraud so why fix what is not a problem. We have to provide info on witnessed voter fraud that never gets investigated because of the polling place rules. Examples like the large number of early voting registration forms that come back after the election as false addresses and the State attorney general made no effort to investigate. You can’t prosecute voter fraud if the law enforcement agencies and poll officials responsible ignore every case presented to them.
Cristina Holub Dont forget u have to show your ID at the pharmacy too. I called the Board of Elections in the 2008 election when, in Lenoir County, Caswell Center residents, drooling and unable to talk, were walked to voting booths in Kinston NC and the nursing aides were doing the voting. I was told it was ‘under control.’ It was ‘under control’ alright…the control of Democrats/people who didn’t care about the integrity of the voting process or the corruption of free and honest democracy in our state. It is disgusting. I would love the chance to look Bev Perdue in the eye ask her why she doesn’t think voters should have to show ID. But I think we already know the answer.
This movement is getting huge, Democracy NC is on the wrong side of this issue!
Here are some more photo id stories from Pat McCrory’s facebook page:
Photo ID Story from Phillip Christofferson:
“I recently went to visit the NC State Capital Building, where our Governor works. Before you are allowed to enter you must sign in which includes showing a form of photo ID.”
Photo ID Story from Ashley Griffin:
“When I make a purchase at some stores, they require a photo ID if I use a credit card.
When I buy alcohol, I used to show my ID. Sadly, now I never get carded (except at Chuck E. Cheese).”
Photo ID Story from Debbie Driggers
“My story is that I go to work and I show an ID to go past the security, I go to the store and I show my ID when using my credit card, I go to the airport and I show my ID to go through security, I go to the movies and show my ID to get my student discount. If I was a drinker I would have to show my ID to purchase it. Why would I not need to show my ID now to cast my vote at the ballot box?
Photo id story from Margaret Kidd
“Pat, you asked us to name some of the places where we’ve had to show our ID. I’ve had to show my ID in a Dr’s office, in the grocery store that I go to 2-3 times a week when I write a check and to the Pharmacy cashier at the drug store when picking up a prescription…..to name a few. Several years ago I worked for a few years at the polls on Election Days. I could not believe how many people would come through the line having their voter registration card in their hand.
I’d have to say: ‘we don’t need that…just state your name and address.’ They’d say: ‘why did they give this to me when I registered to vote?’ I couldn’t answer them except to say I didn’t know. I always felt like an idiot……but, I didn’t know why the NC Election Board would give someone a voter registration card if it was not going to be required when they went to vote and still do not understand it.”
Article on voter fraud in Craven County:
http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/machine-91656-screen-voter.html
Article on “My opportunity for Voter Fraud” http://lincolntribune.com/?p=16526
So if all of these stories are real, why didn’t these people go to the Board of Elections in their counties and lodge a complaint? It makes no sense that these people would supposedly witness voter fraud and not do anything about it — if they care so much about the problem, why did they not do something? Are they helpless? Are they mute? Are they incapable of following the very simple rules in place to report voter fraud? And if they are not intelligent enough to be able to walk three feet to a poll worker and report the fraud, why should the state pay millions to enact an intrusive law that imposes ridiculous ID requirements on all citizens just because those people are too stupid to open their mouths? Following that logic, we should go ahead and impose a police state, because some people don’t report crimes they see.
I call B.S. — like a lot of far right rhetoric, it’s nothing but rumors other people have repeated with no basis in fact. Good government is based on fact, not FOX-News induced hysteria.
Here, Frank, watch this and improve your mind:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/392598/july-20-2011/voter-id-laws
Those stories on McCrory’s Facebook page only underscore the point that the whole thing of voter fraud is hysterical political BS.
Jackson, that reference gave me a good chuckle. A report by a comedian is the best authority, you have?
I don’t know why they didn’t complain, maybe they figured nobody minding the store (Democrats), cares about that. This is what they want to change.
I’m tired of leftwinger rhetoric that barks but has no basis to it. Do you complain to the election board when you are asked to show a photo id when you cash a check? Do whine and moan when you have to show a voter id to board an airplane? Surely we can provide at least the same amount of due diligence for honoring the voters booth.
I don’t know what Fox News has to do with anything, please I don’t care about your personal biases. Why don’t we focus on the real reason the left doesn’t want this requirement imposed? The left needs all those illegal votes as they paid good money for them.