There's not a whole lot to say about this that isn't in four letter words. One of the few vetos that Governor Bev Perdue manage to make stick last year was when she vetoed one of those horrible ALEC-sponsored Voter ID bills in North Carolina.
North Carolina has one of the friendliest voting policies around. We require a paper trail. We have copious, easy early absentee voting days. Republicans must be gnashing their teeth over how easy North Carolina makes it for everyone to vote (even if we don't make it easy for everyone to get married, sigh).
Now they're trying to revive the ALEC bill and override the veto. There must have been some movement on this front recently, because our Secretary of State Elaine Marshall just sent me the petition below. If you're in NC, please pass this around and make sure that the Republicans know we're on to their shenanigans.
Voting is a basic, fundamental right in our country – and any attempt to suppress voters must be stopped.
Right now, the legislature plans to override Governor Perdue’s veto on a Voter I.D. law passed last year. This law will disproportionately hurt seniors and low-income voters. If this law were to pass, folks like my 92 year old mother would need a photo I.D. in order to practice a basic right. This law will prevent thousands of North Carolinians from voting in November. It is voter suppression at its finest.
I cannot sit back and watch thousands of voters have a basic right stripped from them. That is why we are launching a petition this week demanding the legislature drop this veto attempt.
Sign our petition and add your name to the chorus of people demanding an end to this legislation!
Voter I.D. laws are a complicated solution to a problem that doesn’t exist – voter fraud is fiction, not fact.
We already have laws that punish violators of election laws. Most election violations would not be cured by an I.D. requirement. This proposal would add costs and burdens to eligible voters in violation to our NC constitution that requires all elections to be free.
And again, I cannot stress this enough, this legislative move will disenfranchise thousands of voters. In fact, right-wing groups desperately trying to prove that fraud exists have taken to trying to commit fraud themselves, rather than find factual examples.
It is ridiculous – but we have the power to ensure Governor Perdue’s veto holds in the legislature.
Add your name to the petition here.
If this veto is overturned, a lot of good people will have no chance to vote in November.
It would be a terrible shame if we let that happen.
Thank you,
– Elaine