If you voted in the November 6, 2007 local elections or the January 15, 2008 primary elections, you noticed that you were asked for identification for the first time.
The preferred ID is a valid Michigan Driver's License or State-issued ID card (also available at the Secretary of State office). Federal or state government-issued photo ID's, U.S. passports, military photo ID cards, photo ID cards from a high school or higher education institution and tribal ID cards with photo are also accepted.
So what happens if you don't possess any of these documents? You were asked to complete an 'Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification' before being allowed to vote.
This State Law was originally enacted in 1996 and then renewed in 2005, but then State Attorney General Frank Kelley ruled it a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment on the basis that it was essentially a 'poll tax'. The law had been in 'limbo' since then.
This divisive issue has been split along political party lines, with Democrats in opposition and Republicans in favor of the law. Finally, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that because voters can choose intead to sign an affidavit swearing to their identity, there was no poll tax. The ruling went along political party lines, with five Republican judges in favor and the two Democrat judges in opposition.
As the second voter in line at my precinct on January 15th, I can attest to the confusion of the election workers first thing in the morning, but they seemed to have it ironed out later in the day, according to my wife, who voted in the late afternoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment