Why We Need Voter Photo ID
**The following was an open letter sent by Lt. Governor Dan Forest.
As the General Assembly debates the Voter-Photo ID Bill, you will hear opponents of the bill say that there is little to no evidence that voter fraud is taking place in North Carolina. One only has to look at my race for Lieutenant Governor to see the absurdity of this argument.
Out of 4.3 million ballots cast in my race, there were just over 50,000 provisional ballots cast. Provisionals are ballots cast outside of the regular process, in part because the voter went to the wrong polling site or because they were unable to prove they were who they said they were. They are allowed to cast a ballot, but that ballot is not counted until after the election is over when the Board of Elections has more time to scrutinize the ballot.
Traditionally in our state, 50% of the provisional ballots are thrown out during the provisional ballot counting process because the Board of Elections cannot verify that the voter exists. True to historical averages, in my race, over 28,000 of the provisional ballots were deemed inappropriate and cast out of the final vote tally. I won my race by only 6,858 votes. The number of provisional ballots thrown out was more than enough to sway the decision of my race – win or lose.
The counting of provisional ballots is highly subjective and is conducted at the county level and controlled by a two to one majority of the party of whose Governor is in office. Policies that govern election law should strive for objective outcomes, not subjective ones. The provisional ballot process is highly subjective and a Photo ID Bill would work to limit the amount of fraudulent provisional ballots cast in the first place.
Don’t let opponents of this bill tell you that fraud doesn’t happen in North Carolina elections. Over 28,000 ballots in my race were thrown out because the Board of Elections couldn’t verify the voter actually existed. That means 28,000 people tried to vote who did not have the legal right or residency to cast that ballot.
The opponents of the voter identification bill rarely discuss the provisional ballot process because it would prove the point of those of us pushing for a photo identification bill – that fraud is happening in North Carolina.
The next time you hear someone speak against a photo-voter identification requirement ask them what their plan is to stop the fraud from happening in the provisional ballot process? If they claim fraud is not happening, ask them for their definition of fraud. If half of all provisional ballots are rejected due to the inability to prove identity or residency, is that not proof of fraud?
Voting is a bedrock foundational right of citizens of North Carolina and the United States. Let’s protect this right by putting safeguards in place to ensure fairness and integrity in the voting process.
We know there is voter fraud, if the Dims think it doesn’t exist then let the voters prove who they are with ID, no fraud, no problem right? But for some reason having an ID is racist. Is it racist when you have to prove who you are when you apply for welfare, buy alcohol, or cigarettes? No of course not. It exist and they are the sponsors of it. We weren’t born yesterday NAACP. Who does the NAACP vote for? LOL
Heck, we’re even going to start giving licenses to illegal immigrants, so how hard can it really be to get one? LOL!
http://pundithouse.com/2013/04/licenses-for-illegals-in-nc/
We should invite all the Dims who are against voter ID to provide their name and address. Since reciting that information is all we currently need, have someone go vote for them. The only reason voter fraud has not been proven, is because you cannot prove who voted. How many people did they hire to scan the death notices to go vote for the recently deceased for example.
I remember an advertisement posted in the Raleigh equivalent of “Creative Loafing” a few years back offering to pay people to become “neighborhood organizers” for the democrat party (or some liberal organization). The ad suggested people apply in person and “bring two forms of ID”. I laughed for two days straight. 🙂
I was an observer for the canvass of Dan’s race in Northampton where 99 provisional ballots were cast and 66 were thrown out. Actually 66% FRAUD!
I worked the polls for the Kissell vs Johnson and 10 % of the vote total was provisionals ballots cast by people mostly from Mel Watt’s district. You know that had there been a recount, the Dems who control the BOE would have counted every single one.
We were gerrymandered back into Watt’s district since then and lo and behold this past election there were hardly any provisional ballots given out. less than 1%.