Arkansas Voters Complain About Quizzing By Poll Workers Checking IDs

[Capt. Obvious]

Tuesday primaries marked the first state-wide election in Arkansas since the state's new voter ID law went into effect earlier this year. And there were problems.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas has received numerous complaints from voters who say poll workers "quizzed" them about the information on their IDs, one of the organization's officials told TPM on Wednesday.

....

The complaints received by the ACLU were similar in nature to those reported on by Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times, an alt weekly in Little Rock. He first noted reports of it on Tuesday while the election was still taking place. Then on Wednesday, Brantley posted several first-person accounts from voters on the newspaper's website.

"I was quizzed about my name, address and birthdate while the election volunteer held my license where I couldn't see it," one reader wrote to Brantley. "Is that also part of the photo ID law? I mean, my drivers license does have my photo right there on the front... Are we testing for fake IDs now, too?"

"Democratic ballot? What's your astrological sign?"

[leftyohiolib]

1. oops misunderstood the article

[randys1]

2. What did I FUCKING tell you would happen!

https://twitter.com/DidTheyLetUVote

unfortunately there is a need for my twitter account

WHAT are YOU prepared to do when, not if, they steal your vote?????

[PumpkinAle]

3. And all this for a problem that does not exist!!

[jwirr]

8. Hey, the rethugs led us into a war with no reason. Taking a little vote will not worry them.

[hughee99]

4. Any reports of how many people weren't allowed to vote because they failed the "quiz"? n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I don't know how many were turned away, but the Republican gubernatorial candidate was

held up for a while before he could vote.

Oops. Voter ID advocate Asa Hutchinson forgets Voter ID at polls

http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2014/05/20/oops-voter-id-law-may-have-briefly-tripped-up-law-advocate-asa-hutchinson

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. I hadn't paid much attention, but this was done to me as well in Ohio.

Seeing that others complained, I'm wondering now if it was 'beyond regular procedures' here.

[PuppyBismark]

7. Depending on the Question, it is the policy here in Ohio

I am a poll worker in Ohio and we need to verify that the license address is the place where the voter currently lives and is correct in the poll book. Many times voters move and do not want to pay to get a new license. In the mean time, they need to vote in the location / precinct where they live. If the address on the license does not agree with the poll book, or the voter gives a different address, then we need to verify they still live in the precinct and let them vote noting the last four digits of the license. We also give them the opportunity to fill out a change of address form. If they moved to another precinct, we identify the precinct and the address of the voting location and give them directions to the correct voting location where they can fill out a provisional ballot which also has a change of address section.

If the Arkansas was asking anything else such as birth date, that is beyond the Ohio process. Clearly, the poll worker needs the name, but we ask for that before we ask for the ID.

[jwirr]

9. Yes, varifying the address that you currently live at is done here also but the drivers license is

THE verification. All we get asked is - is this current?

[geardaddy]

13. You don't need an ID to vote here in MN.

All you need is a recent utility bill.

[jwirr]

14. That is true. I used my drivers license when I was not sure how I had registered last time since I

carry that with me. As it turned out I was still in the same precinct regardless which address I lived at.

[geardaddy]

15. I'm so glad that Voter ID ballot measure failed

last time around.

[jwirr]

16. So am I. I cannot think of a less patriotic action than to deny a person the vote. Especially the

way it is being done today.

[RoccoR5955]

19. Yes, and I varify my address all the time.

I move to three places and vote at each one, thus varifying my address. Kinda stinks when I can't remember which fake ID I gave them, when they try V-E-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G my address.

[maindawg]

21. I live in Ohio

All you have to do is sign in.They have a note book with my name on the page with the S names. I sign my name. I asked them if they wanted to see my DL and they said they are not permitted to check my ID.

[PuppyBismark]

23. Not sure what part of Ohio you live in, but Ohio indeed requires an ID.

You must produce an ID in addition to signing the poll book with your signature which should match what they have recorded. Ohio permits all kinds of bills in addition to use of a government picture ID with an address or a military picture ID. Passports are not valid. If your poll worker in your part of Ohio said they are not permitted to check ID, he/she was incorrect.

I would be glad to produce the state training materials or the Franklin County training materials which both have multiple pages describing all the ID options. Any utility bill, bank statement, etc. with the name and address matching the poll book will do the job. Likewise, government correspondence will work. Very few folks cannot produce a valid ID in Ohio.

That being said, the GOP, which owns the state right now, wants to reduce the ID's they will take, but are afraid of a referendum which would modify the constitution to allow the easy to produce ID laws.

[TNNurse]

10. It would be so tempting to raise hell when asked inappropriate questions

But then you would not get to vote which is your RIGHT as a citizen.

Anyone who goes out of their way to keep a citizen from voting should lose their own right to vote. Why do they hate other Americans?????

[geardaddy]

11. Maybe they should have had their staffers answer the questions for them.

'Cause, y'know, not having your ID with or being asked questions is just a mild inconvience.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024982085

[secondwind]

12. bastards, all of them....

[olegramps]

17. I wish someone would show them a ID knuckle sandwich.

[bearssoapbox]

18. Democratic ballot?

How many kids do I have, what are their names and what color are their eyes?

In order of birth.

[RoccoR5955]

20. I hear in some parts of Texass

When a Democratic party ballot is being voted on, they ask for the next two weeks' Powerball numbers. You have to have at least four correct, or you don't get to vote!

[bearssoapbox]

22. Hey, that's a good deal.

You get to vote and win a couple hundred bucks.

WIN!!!!...WIN!!!!

[WillyT]

24. K & R !!!