I just found out I will not be able to vote in November.

[Curmudgeoness]

Well, they are saying "may" not be able to vote. OMG! That is unless I figure out what to do about the difference between my photo ID and my voter registration. You see, my driver's license has my full first name, full middle name, and last name on it. My voter registration has my first name and my last name----no middle name. And you see, these two things are not the same. I will be calling the courthouse tomorrow to find out how to get the voter registration changed to my full name.

I am glad that I was listening to KDKA radio tonight to hear about this, and I checked. I am in shock----I did not think that I would be one of the people with a problem voting!!!

The list includes many voters who likely do have licences or other acceptable photo IDs -- such as U.S. passports or those from the military, state, nursing homes and state universities carrying expiration dates -- but are listed merely because of spelling errors or other database discrepancies. Others on the list of 99,115 voters in Allegheny County who don't match with PennDOT records include county councilman and United Steelworkers official John DeFazio, county Executive Rich Fitzgerald's wife, Cathy, county Judge Michael Della Vecchia and city Councilman William Peduto.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/prominent-names-on-list-of-voters-with-faulty-id-647059/#ixzz22LbvnX1u

[annabanana]

1. So every woman in Pa who sometimes lists her maiden name

as a middle name, sometimes uses her middle name as her middle name, sometimes uses all four names and sometimes hyphenates is pretty much screwed!

[Curmudgeoness]

2. Sigh. I just don't know.

All that I do know is that we had better all check that the photo ID and the voter registration are identical, just to be sure we have no problems. I don't figure it matters what names you use on other things. This is important, and we all have to check our ID and registration----and let every Democrat you know in on this. Republicans, uh, whatever.

[catrose]

5. Maybe me in Texas too

Depending on what happens to the show-your-ID law.

The name I use is Middle Maiden Married. However, my drivers license, by law (I was told), has to read First (two other names, can't hyphenate two and call them one). So my license says First Middle Married, which definitely looks different than the rest of my Middle Maiden Married IDs, and my birth certificate of course says First Middle Maiden. If I show enough documents, you can get all names, but only my checks have all four.

[Bjorn Against]

3. What is really sad is that you are probably one of the very few who checked on this

If they choose to enforce this to the letter of the law then many people will likely show up to vote thinking they have proper identification and will be able to vote but not realize that if their ID does not match exactly to what is on the voter rolls they can be denied the vote.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I only looked at my voter registration card

because I heard about this. Who would have expected this???? Not me. I was absolutely positive that I have everything I needed to vote without problems----because I know I would go bat-shit crazy if they gave me problems.

I have a photo ID. I have voted in every election for years and years. My next door neighbor works at the polls. But who knows, the poll workers may have to go by the letter of the law or be charged with voter fraud themselves.

This is a shock. I am only grateful that this came out before the we all showed up to vote.

[mrmpa]

7. Believe me..........I'm working the polls and I'm not enforcing.............

this to the letter of the law in PA. Believe me, if your ID say Jane Alice Doe, and your voter registration says Jane Doe and it's the same address, you're voting. I just hope the court stops this from being enforced in November.

[Herlong]

8. Follow the law

We are the good guys. The last thing we need is an excuse for the news cycle to blame a Romney presidency on people like us.

[mrmpa]

15. I'm saying.........

we need to use our common sense. Plus, I've worked at this polling site for 12 years, and I've lived in it for 45 years, and I know every voter.

[Demit]

34. I work at the polls too. I'm at the machine, so not on the desk, but I'm going to urge the women

on the desk to do what you're going to do—apply the broadest possible interpretation of this stupid law. ESPECIALLY since we know our neighbors personally. I am just cross-eyed over this law, and now this ruling. As if anyone can just walk into any polling place and vote. It's such a travesty. Maybe, if one particularly finicky pollworker on the desk doesn't agree with me, I'll ask her to switch places with me so I can say to people, Yes, I'm satisfied that your photo ID proves you are who you say you are—and who you HAVE BEEN for the last umpteen years!!

[mrmpa]

35. Sounds good to me...............

I refuse to hold up the line, because of this stupidity. I know that our worker who's been doing it for 10 years, retired police officer, is fuming about this. She lives in the neighborhood, but not this specific precinct. My brother is Judge of Elections, he's already put together a full board of 6 to deal with this.

[freeandequalpa]

23. Voters not realizing that their ID does not qualify will be a big problem if the law is not enjoined

From one of the expert reports in the lawsuit challenging the photo ID law:

"Almost all of the voting eligible population in Pennsylvania believes that they have a valid photo ID: 97.8% of eligible voters, 98.8% of registered voters, and 98.7% of those who voted in the 2008 election claim they do possess a valid photo ID.

Despite the high rates of perceived compliance with the law, a large number of potential voters in Pennsylvania lack a valid photo ID (non-expired with name confirming): 14.4% of eligible voters lack a valid ID (1,364,433 people), 12.8% of registered voters
(1,055,200), and 12.6% of those who voted in the 2008 election (757,325 people)."

Source is the first report here: http://freeandequalpa.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/petitioners-expert-reports/

[Bjorn Against]

25. That is more than 1 out of every 8 people

Can you imagine the chaos at the polling place when every 8th person or so does not have a valid ID. If they actually enforce this to the letter it will cause absolute hell at the polling places, the only upside will be that the Republican voter suppression efforts will be obvious for all to see and hopefully people will finally demand that it ends.

[caine1969]

9. Easy fix

Go down to the Department of Motor Vehicles and get a new driver license. I had the same problem. I just put my first and last name on my driver license.

[Herlong]

12. Some people have trouble figuring out what to eat

Last edited Thu Aug 2, 2012, 12:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Much less how to vote. I live in the real world. If we
want to see an Obama second term we have to respect real world analogies


Ie if you are poor, nothing is easy,

And people in the middle have to respect the struggle of our fellow Americans
Because right now, it's only easy for one percent.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. It is easier to change the name on the voter registration.

There is a charge for changes on a driver's license, as well as having to take a trip to the DMV. There is still time to do the fix on the voter registration for the price of a stamp.

[creeksneakers2]

10. Are you sure they are talking about a list of people who can't vote?

My guess is that they are talking about the list from PennDOT of people who don't have ID. That list is probably full of match problems but the list is only used to demonstrate how many people don't have ID. The list won't be used to challenge voters.

[Curmudgeoness]

22. I am not sure about anything, except that I want no problems in November.

The story at the link did say that the list of people who are registered to vote was checked against the list at PennDOT. And it may be that when John James Doe shows up to vote and is registered as J James Doe or John Doe, he will be able to vote anyways...or there may be judgment calls made and they would not let him vote. Actually, I think that you are able to do a provisional vote and go to the courthouse after the election and prove who you are, but who needs it.

[burrowowl]

11. K&R

[aggiesal]

13. Can you still re-register?

If you can re-register in your state, i would.
Some states allow you to register within 30 days
of an election.

[Lugnut]

17. My drivers license and voter registrations don't match either.

My drivers license has my middle name on it and my voter ID doesn't. I'm going to check on this ASAP.

[PADemD]

18. Voter Registration Names

Whenever we do voter registration in our area of PA, we advise people to use the same name as on their driver's license, if they have one.

[Curmudgeoness]

20. Excellent point, and we all should do this,

especially now. This could be a real cluster in polling places where there are sticklers doing the checking.

[Curmudgeoness]

19. UPDATE: I just talked to the election office for my county.

It seems that I was not the only person listening to that radio program, because they had already heard from other people. I was told that if the names are "similar" as in Fred on one and Fredrick on the other, or in my case no middle name on the voter registration, that there should be no problem. And she is probably right.

However, being the skeptic that I am, I asked if there was a way to correct my voter registration so that the names ARE exactly the same. We have a week left to complete an application for voter registration, or a change of name on our registration. I am doing this since it is simply downloading the form and mailing it to them.

I want no problems and since I have the time to fix this, my personal decision is to fix it.

[JPZenger]

28. Republican poll watcher can challenge a voter

I hope it doesn't come to this, but if there is a Republican poll watcher at your polling place, they could try to challenge the right of a voter to vote if the voter ID law is not followed exactly. In that case, common sense would be irrelevant.

[Curmudgeoness]

30. They can't challenge me anymore!

I had that same feeling...a Republican could be a hard-ass to Democrats who are not exact matches.

That is why I changed my name on the voter registration to match exactly. They are not messing with me!

[freeandequalpa]

24. Here's the issue

The photo ID law says that an ID only is valid if it:

"shows the name of the individual to whom the document was issued and the name substantially conforms to the name of the individual as it appears in the district register;"

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/2012/0/0018..HTM

The law does not say what "substantially conforms" means. So, if the name on the ID you show is not an exact match to the poll book, the poll workers have the discretion to decide whether you vote or not.

What is key to remember, though: If a poll worker tries to pull this, you must INSIST that they let you vote by provisional ballot (they are required to under the law). Then, you will have 6 days after the election to plead your case to your county board of elections (and hire a lawyer, if it comes to that).

[Lugnut]

26. I personally know all my polling place workers.

We've been neighbors for almost 50 years. If this law isn't tossed out I think I'm okay.

My b-i-l is a campaign volunteer. He offered to bring me a voter registration form to fill out but said he doesn't think the discrepancy will matter. My picture is on my drivers license so my identity is obvious regardless. I'm feeling much better about this now.

[JPZenger]

27. Even if your mother is working the polls, she's supposed to send you to the paper ballot

If the poll workers are following the law, it is irrelevant whether they know you or not. If the name on the ID does not "substantially" match the voter registration name, or if there is not a valid date on the ID (with a couple exceptions), they are supposed to not let you use the voting machine. Instead, you are supposed to be given a provisional paper ballot, and then you have 6 days (I believe) to show up your county courthouse to prove you are the person you are. If not, your paper ballot goes into the shredder.

During the 2008 election, there were platoons of lawyers in my city ready to help with any voting problem, including many lawyers distributed outside of the busiest polling places. They ended up being very bored, but in a good way. The Obama campaign also had hotline to call if there was a problem.

[Lugnut]

31. I voted in the primary with no issues.

I'm going to fill out a new registration form using the name that's on my driver's license just to be safe. This is ridiculous.

[Curmudgeoness]

29. Provisional ballot is really the key.

You are right, if there are any problems at all, do it.

I didn't take any chance at all. I was pro-active and I just did a name change on my voter registration to make it identical to my license. It is no big deal and my motto is "better safe than sorry". I am probably over-reacting, but it is not in a bad way. Since the Democrat at the polls is senile and asks me the same questions every time I show up (are you a "last name"? My son graduated with a "last name". Was that you?), so I cannot expect that after all these years that she will say she knows me. And could a Republican working the polls be a hard-ass? I just never know.

[durablend]

32. Think it'll matter in a "Republican" district?

After all they wouldn't want to infringe on someone's right to vote for Romney. It's only people voting for Obama that need to be treated like criminals.

[Curmudgeoness]

33. The knife cuts both ways.

Even Republican districts will have Democrats working the polls...I don't think any district is all one party. And a Democrat working the polls could just as easily challenge one of the Republicans. But any way you cut it, this sucks. It should not be legal in this country to try to stop anyone who is eligible to vote from voting with tricks or undue requirements that are not necessary...and the first time they do it is a presidential election! Goes to show that they know they have to cheat, and they aren't even ashamed.