Voter ID Laws - What Am I Missing...

Most people have a drivers license or a passport - which are valid id.
But - there are some people who don't drive and don't have passports - like some elderly - what do they do for a photo ID?

Sometimes I think we've got a hard enough time getting the people who ARE eligible to vote interested enough to actually vote.
I have a very difficult time believing there are droves of people who are not eligible to vote who would take the risk of voting fraudulently.
But then, I don't know what the penalty is for it either, so MAYBE there are some people who vote illegally as a hobby?
I don't know.
The whole issue sounds more like a distraction tactic to me.
I've got to wonder what the other hand is up to.

I don't understand that either, J.. It is not that hard to get an ID, even if you don't drive. Why don't we all need to show an ID to vote? That doesn't bother me at all. It's not like telling someone they have to take a test in order to vote, which was done in the deep South to prevent blacks from voting. (That was part of Jim Crow laws.)

I don't understand the issue either.

Dawn

The reason these voter ID laws are an issue is that they really aren't created because of widespread voter fraud. There have been one or two cases of people trying to vote who are not eligible, but the laws are being implemented in districts where the outcome of the vote is in question. They are NOT being implemented uniformly - and it's not cost effective to do so. We have comparatively low voter turnout in this country, even in hotly contested presidential elections. So the fact is, the laws are primarily designed to keep out voters of a particular party in order to swing elections. NO ONE at the helm is truly concerned about real fraud.

The people least likely to have ID are those who are elderly, medically impaired, or low income and living in areas where they cannot afford to drive (don't have cars, can't afford insurance, can't afford gas). Also, many members of religious orders have been kept from the polls - elderly nuns and priests, for example, who have no need for ID in their daily lives but who do wish to participate in the process of governing the nation. There are recent cases in Florida, including one of an elderly veteran of World War II who has voted PROUDLY in every election since he was eligible - but now he cannot. Not everyone has a driver's license anymore.

Other barricades to voter participation include insufficient ballots at polling places (happened in Boston a few years ago, magically in low income areas....and many other places) which restrict people's ability to vote. So the measures to prevent legitimate voting are more far-reaching than those to prevent fraud.

If you listen to the people who are promoting voter ID laws, you will hear them going on and on about voter fraud, but if you get the elections commissions of various cities and states to provide statistics, you will find there aren't really any issues and virtually no actual cases! So I think that the money being spent on this stuff should be spent on other things - like voter education and improving access to polling places.

People who are not citizens are definitely NOT trying to attract attention, so they are not going to official locations like polling places where they are likely to be noticed and questioned. So it's really fear-mongering that gets everyone riled up.

Remember that voter ID laws were originally created to keep people of color from voting - same with poll taxes and other measures that have been declared unconstitutional.

By the way - I grew up just a few miles from you, in Centerport NY!

Added: passports are expensive so they are not feasible for low income people. And all the people who preach about "less government" should not be weighing in that they want everyone to have a government issued ID. There are absolutely NOT scores of people voting as dead people!

It's my understanding that this has to do with making voting reasonably accessible to all registered voters (no literacy tests or anything designed to keep certain groups of people from exercising their constitutional rights). The number of registered voters who do not have a Driver's License or State ID is higher than you (or I) might think. Excluding those without proper ID would be like excluding a segment of the population.

In Illinois you have to sign next to your name and the voter judge (?) is supposed to compare signatures. I have to say, every time I've signed in, the signatures I see certainly look like the original one that's printed next to it. I've been told that it's actually pretty hard to spontaneously copy a signature. So, to commit voter fraud, you would have to take someone's place and vote instead of that person.

From what I've heard, this just isn't a problem, and that's why there isn't a big push to change it.

ETA: I noticed a few people mentioned non citizens voting. This really isn't actually a problem. Your name has to be on the list in order to receive a ballot. A person could potentially walk in and vote using someone else's name, but you are not going to have hundreds of extra people voting. And, in fact, lots of people voting in this country doesn't seem to have ever been a problem.

There is an interesting article in the Washington Post about it, which I have below.

For the average middle class American, ID is a non issue. For the very poor, ID can be a significant issue. Many low income minorities do not have valid state IDs due to a variety of factors.

There is absolutely NOT a "real problem with dead people voting". There were 400 prosecuted cases of voter fraud in the entire country in the past ten years. Many of these cases involved vote buying and people who falsified voter registration.

My family used to have a messenger business. I used to work with many many people who were very low income. Almost NONE of them had government ID. They had transient housing situations. They did not have original birth certificates, etc etc. They did not have the spare $ to run around getting the items they'd need to get the valid ID. And they did not have the $ to take off of work to go and do these things either.

It is very easy to sit in our own point of view from what we know and not consider people living NOTHING like you or I.

To me this whole voter ID thing is ridiculous.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/voter-id-laws-desi...

I agree with you, its no skin off my back to show an ID. I have plenty. I can't even really think about anyone who doesn't. Let's face it, even non-citizens probably can get drivers' licenses.

HOWEVER... consider the plight of many senior citizens. They might not drive any longer, so they're licenses are expired. They may not travel so they don't have a passport. Many of these types of people have limited mobility and money. In some states (Pennsylvania), the ID has to be current, so an old expired license won't cut it.

In many rural counties, there are limited places/hours where you can get documentation. Even if there is a place you can get a low cost/free id, often the documentation needed to get these are not free.

Boo hoo, right? Just suck it up and get an ID? Well...

Voting is a RIGHT that we, as American citizens, are guaranteed by the constitution. The constitution also guarantees that no laws be passed to stand between us and our right to vote. This right is NOT guaranteed only if you live in a big city, or you can easily get to a DMV. Its guaranteed to everyone.

Maybe not for you, or me, but for many people, these laws are compromising their constitutional rights. We should ALL be concerned about these kind of laws, even if they don't effect us.

Its not about wanting non-US citizens to be able to vote. That's a red herring. Its about respecting the rights of all US citizens.

Our country has rejected poll taxes, property ownership, literacy test, etc. as requirements for voting over the years. Voting is recognized as a fundmental and one of the most important rights in this country. Voter ID laws put up an obstacle to voting that could end up denying some thier opportunity to vote, whether it's getting to a place to obtain an ID or the cost involved in obtaining one. No one should be denied the right to exercise their right to vote because they can't afford to purchase the proper ID or can't get to a place where they can obtain one. For many states the right to vote is a part of their constitution which is why you see challenges to voter ID laws happening at the state rather than Federal level. Voter ID laws could actually be in violation of the state constitution that guarentees voting rights.

Jim Crow

"if this were a country where all citizens carried a photo ID, no problem. But it isn't. So these laws disproportionately affect the poor, racial and ethnic minorities, students and the elderly. Guess which political party usually gets the majority of votes from these groups? The Democrats. And which party is pushing the voter ID laws everywhere? The Republicans."

"Many of those without IDs would have to travel great distances to get them—and some would struggle to pay for the documents they might need to obtain them," he said. "We call those poll taxes."

"Dozens of legal challenges have been filed against the ID laws, but many may not receive court rulings until after the presidential election, which could be very close. The Republicans who took over state governments with the 2010 races have pushed voter ID bills because, they contend, voter fraud is rampant. The facts show otherwise, but it's no coincidence that most people who will be kept from voting generally vote Democratic."

http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Vot...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression

First of all there is no voter fraud that could in ANY way change an election as it stands..

I think the lack of understanding is a generational thing..
We that are older remember this intimidation tactic,and WE WILL NOT FORGET!

Used to be the people that lived on the darker side of the tracks, had a different set of rules. Having to show an official we were who we said we were, could lead to some interesting situations.. Intimidation, harassment and questions about the authenticity of the ids, etc..

Any of you see the movie "the Help"?

Remember how appalled we all were at the way the African Americans were treated? We just all thought, well if I was alive back then, I would have been like Skeeter and helped and allowed the African Americans to have the same rights.

The current poor and elderly population are now our long ago, "Black Community" in many areas of this country. We are so insulated, if you do not deal or know this community, you have no idea what it is like for them.. They are stopped more, they are questioned more.. and all because of how they look, and where they live.. YES, this is happening now all over the country. It seems, the less money you have, the less we think of this group of people.

When you are poor, you do not as a child get to go on a Disney cruise and are able to just pop on over to get an id.. They have trouble getting transportation to go to the grocery store.

ID's cost money.. SO if you do not have the money to pay your bills, feed your family, pay for your medications, you cannot afford to update your ids..

Gosh forbid you lose your id and then have to show an "ORIGINAL" Birth certificate or Social Security card.. That takes time, money and transportation to get to the 2 different places to apply and then wait for the information to be mailed to you..

And so this ID situation, leaves a bad taste in our mouths and it brings back some scary memories of what this is all about.

No voter fraud
A poll tax in the form of forcing Americans to have to carry and have handy their ids, even if they cannot afford or have means to get these id's.

Go back and read the history of the voting rights from the late 1950's. It was not till the early 60's that all Americans and women had a real right to not be intimidated in any way on all of the states..

Haven't read any of the other responses, but I just heard on NPR today that 8% of whites don't have a photo ID, but 25% of people who are black don't. It's a race and a class issue. Putting one more step in the way of voting is a way to get people to not vote. It costs money (for the state or for the person) to get an ID. Why put this burden on anyone who just wants to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Voter fraud isn't a problem at all. I wish legislatures would spend time addressing REAL issues.

My objective (as nearly as possible) answer:

Pro ID - avoid fraud, need ID to cash a check, it's a simple security measure. Voting is fundamental to our govt, and with new tech we need to ensure it remains one person, one vote.

Anti ID - almost no cases of vote fraud (registration fraud is a different animal and not covered by photo id), a significant portion of citizens do not have photo ID (elderly, poor), those groups tend to vote Dem, and there are no adequate measures to address those who cannot obtain an ID (elderly without a birth cert, born at home or records long ago destroyed at hospital). Voting is fundamental to our govt, so it needs to include as many as are eligible with as few barriers as possible.

It isn't as easy for some people to get the required IDs as you might think. Some cannot drive for medical reasons. In our state, you now have to also provide a lot of documentation to renew your license, birth dertificate, utility bills, divorce decree(s), marriage licenses, and the list goes on. Took each of us about three trips to finally have all the documentation that they would accept. And we have been driving for years in this state. I have seen senior citizens (including my own frail FIL) reduced to tears trying to get a license renewed. In addition, some people have trnsportation issues that make it hard to go to the license branch in the first place. It used to be that verifying the signature was enough, and I think it should still be enough. Some people are in nursing homes, and they should still be allowed thier right to vote, even if they are unable to get to the license branch to get another piece of documentation to prove they exist. I think this is to keep the seniors, disabled, poor and uneducated from voting. I do not think there was an issue with voter fraud before the law. Trust me, the poll-workers take their jobs seriously and do not just let anyone vote without making sure they are qualified to do so.

Here in OK we have voter ID laws that have been recently enacted. Last time I went to vote, the 2 people ahead of me and the person behind me had wrong addresses listed in the registry (wrong street number or Lane instead of St, etc). Since it didn't match exactly with their drivers license, they weren't allowed to vote. Basically it is another step where government bureaucracy can screw something up and deny people the right to vote. Was it intentional? No. Was it fair to those 3 voters? No. Is it worth it? Not in my opinion.

So much has already been covered on this from other moms, so I'll just throw this info in:

Recent Voter ID Laws Were All Written and Sponsored by ALEC, a right-wing organization that has written many of this nation's Stand Your Ground, Anti-Abortion, cutting taxes of the wealthy, anti public sector worker laws, mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenders, "three strikes" laws and "truth in sentencing" laws, laws that boost/increase the number of private prisons, immigration laws, blocking limits on pesticide use, making it easier to build nuclear power plants, preventing opposition to genetically modified crops, eliminating zoning regulations, "privatizing water and sewer systems" and "protecting polluting corporations from civil and criminal liability."

Limiting voter access to the polls is a Republican cause. In 2011 and so far in 2012, nine states passed new or stiffened old voter ID laws. Republican governors preside over all nine states. And in all but one, Republicans completely control the legislatures. Five other states with Republican-controlled legislatures passed voter ID bills last year. These will not take effect, however, because five Democratic governors vetoed them.

Major donor to ALEC? The KOCH Brothers. Need I say more.

Several studies have all proven that voter fraud is insignificant, rare, ... a non-issue. The constant braying about it being a huge problem is an untruthful campaign to scare people and make them angry. This is a political ploy, pushed by the Republicans, to disenfranchise the poor, who happen to trend more Democrat. It's not a "solution" to a real "problem," as it's being claimed.

I think that voting is a right. Therefore, laws intended to disenfranchise a segment of our society, particularly when all of the studies have revealed insignificant voter fraud, is a travesty.

Having ID is not an issue for you or me. Or for most folks who have a computer or a car and some extra cash. It's a problem for the poor, disenfranchised, and elderly. It can be difficult to get to the place to get the id. For those who are watching every penny and going without something vital to make ends meet, that $10 or $20 could be a fortune. It really is an almost insurmountable obstacle to vote for some, while for others it's just a minor inconvenience.

I, admittedly, can not imagine not being able to come up with $10 or $20 to get a photo id. But I bet some parents out there _can_ imagine it or have been in that situation. So, when a person has to make a choice between buying some extra food for their children or getting a photo id so they can vote, is it right to deny them the opportunity to vote if they choose to buy that extra food? I think requiring folks to make that choice is a travesty.

I agree with Leah M's assessment. Thank you for posting the article, Leah M.

I am not in a rural area but I work with a lot of elderly people. And I mean really elderly - we consider 80 to be young and my oldest client is 104! I have a majority between 85 and 99. All of them have valid ID. Some have drivers licenses (even those who have given up driving will keep their drivers license until it expires). Those who give up driving get an official state-issued ID card meant for those who don't drive or maintain some version of a passport. Down here, you have to have an official ID to get cash out of your own bank account from a teller and often to be able to utilize a credit card. I don't have a single client without any current ID.

Honestly, I am in favor of a federally issued identification card. Ideally, it would take the place of all of the other cards for federal programs. Most other nations have country-issued ID - we are rare in that category.

C.

I live in Houston, TX and some of you may or may not know is that Attorney Eric Holder was here speaking in front of the NAACP yesterday. What was required to get in? Yep you got it, Government ID!! Oh the irony!!!

The AG for the State of Texas is in Washington D.C. arguing in favor of our voter ID law. Eric Holder has filed suit againt Texas and Florida regarding voter ID law. Florida is going through their voter logs and eliminating illegals and dead people. Eric Holder filed suit saying that Florida is trying to supress voters. HMMMM... no just the illegal and dead vote!

I have no problem showing my ID to vote. I believe that every time someone who is illegal or dead that vote is diluting my vote. I am disenfranchised due to my vote not counting as much as it should when illegals and dead people vote. Contrary to what alot of you think, this does happen ALOT!!!

You obviously don't live in California. We have a million illegals/undocumentated workers and you can register under 15 different names. Also, if you are homeless, you never have to provide an address, just rather "Mark an X on the map where you are most likely to be found".

I personally am registered to vote through my parents address under my maiden name. I could register again under my married name and my home address....and no one would ever know....since we are in different towns and I never have to show my ID, just tell them my name and the address(es) I registered. I could even make up a name or register under a dead relative or make one up....no one checks a thing.

Even in Mexico, you have you provide ID and they stamp your hand with ink that does not wash off for 48 hours, so you cannot vote twice, but here, you can sign up without any ID, never show any ID and vote.

I grew up in a state that required me to present a photo id to vote. It did not matter that the ladies/gentlemen who ran the voting poll knew me and my parents. I had to show them an id.

I moved to a state that does not require ids to vote. The first elections in my new town, when I went to vote I was told that I had already voted. Um nope I had not. The only recourse was for me to literally get the voting poll before they opened to ensure that I beat "myself" there. I did that a couple of times and have not had a problem since. Oh i have also changed voting polls twice since then.

So I am all for voter id. It takes a picture id which the state dvm can issue. Instead of complaining that the ruling is unfair the complainers should organize id drives and provide assistance for anyone who needs transportation to get to the dmv and obtain the id.

Voting is a right of citizenship and every citizen should be willing to present an id to exercise this right and ensure clean and honest elections.

JMHO

EDITED TO ADD: I have read many responses saying that it is harder for the poor or elderly to get a ID. I work in public housing - everyone I work with falls into the poor and/or elderly category - everyone I work with has a state issued driver's license or ID, or a passport. Honestly, these things are required for public assistance.

There are so few cases of voter fraud in the US, and they are not usually committed by the voter, but by officials. The voter ID laws are unnecessary for this reason. Also, there are citizens of the US who do not have a government issued ID, there are plenty of people who do not drive so they have no driver’s license, and obtaining a government issued ID card can be difficult because of the expense (it’s not free). I also know a few individuals who prefer NOT to have government issued ID’s or even Social Security numbers or birth certificates, eccentric, many a bit loony, but nevertheless they have a right to this type of privacy, and they are still US citizens who have a right to vote.

I am with you J.. I cannot think of any good reason not to require it. I have READ that some think that it would disenfranchise certain parts of the population, but I don't buy that. Maybe 30 years ago... not today.
You have to show valid ID to board an airplane, and nobody finds that an unreasonable requirement. You have to show ID for a LOT of things, that is not an unreasonable requirement.
And frankly, I'm curious about anyone who makes the argument---do THEY have an ID? If they do not, fine. Why don't they? Show me a real person that this will affect legitimately.
The biggest reason (I think) to keep from implementing a rule like this, would be that it would do what it is designed to do: stop voter fraud.

But seriously... instead of the general " it COULD impact ___", I'd like to see/hear some actual examples of real people that Would be impacted, if any.

The people who are against having to show ID to vote are typically the ones who want that vote on their side and think they will get it because of the campaign promises they make, which they will not be able to uphold.

No, the president will not pay your mortgage.

There should be a requirement to show your ID to vote. Heck, you have to show an ID to drink a beer, fight for our country, drive a car, go into many Government buildings (if not all), and many other things, why is it NOT required for voting? I'm beyond baffled.

As far as Eric Holder, he should be held in contempt to the highest degree possible. I can't believe he is filing suit against states who are cleaning up their records and only allowing those who are LEGALLY allowed to vote to do so.

Why would anyone in America have a problem with showing they are legal to vote? If they do have a problem, my guess would be that they are not allowed to legally vote anyways.

ETA: I get that it can be pricey to have to get the needed documentation to have an ID. However, I don't think any amount of federal assistance should go to those who can't prove they can get it legally. There really is no excuse to not have a valid ID. Even when I was broke I had an ID.

Just want to add again - the RIGHT to vote is only granted to legal citizens. So if you are a legal citizen, why do you care if you have to show and ID? You should want to protect your rights and not hand them out for free to whoever wants them. I know all of our military members have not made the sacrifices they have over the years to give the rights and freedoms they have fought for to other people.

I am with the others who said this is inhibiting to a segment of the population. I won't repeat all the reasons since the topic has been pretty well covered. I do want to let Momof4 know that often carpools are arranged for voting, especially at churches. That is why Florida officials pushed to ban early voting on Sunday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/florida-voting-r...

I know in St Louis we have a real problem with dead people voting. There was a case, I want to say 2006, where the dead father of an alderman voted. Not sure why it is so hard to get dead people off the rolls but this would fix that.

I get how some might have problems getting IDs, like if they are old enough their birth certificate doesn't exist. Still this can't be a huge issue. My father is 82 and has a birth certificate and DL. How many people are still alive that this is an issue.

I think what is getting to me is calling this all Jim Crow and poll taxes. If you can get the IDs free in states that require it how is there a poll tax.

At least to me this is an oh look shiny things to distract from the real issue, dead people should not vote!

Why do people *assume* that because I spoke of one case where it was the alderman's father that would mean it is the only time it happened? That was the only time it was the father of an elected official. We have had this problem in the city for as long as I have been on the earth.

People what is this ten to twenty dollars you keep braying about? They must give a valid photo ID for free in the states that require it, the courts have already ruled on this.

OK . . . I have an unusual POV (I think) on this issue.

I'm against people having to carry govt-issued ID for almost every function of American life. For instance I cannot enter City Hall in my town without presenting valid ID! Why on earth is that the case? I can't enter a building THAT MY TAX DOLLARS SUPPORT without ID? What, exactly, are these "officials" afraid of? The people whom they're supposed to serve?

As against the "papers please" mentality that our country seems to embrace now-a-days, if I'm going to have to present ID to enter City Hall, why would I not have to present ID TO VOTE? How does that make sense?

The people that unleashed the virtual necessity of having ID everywhere you go . . . need to realize and accept that it cuts both ways!

Ugh. I'm so sick of of the police state we live in.

J. I am with you. I just do not understand why its a problem. We have ID cards or licenses for everything else like driving license, state ID, insurance card, student ID, grocery card, ...and voting seems to be way more important.

Why would anyone want a non citizen voting in our elections? Only those who have reason to benefit. They say it causes hardship on the poor but I disagree. I beleive if the poor are citizens it will make their vote heard because it will not be dulited by the votes of non citizens.

I don't get it either. I don't care how old you are, you often need a photo ID to use a credit card or for any banking transaction, to ride a train, plane or Greyhound type bus. To apply for any type of loan or transfer accounts. Aside from the obvious driving.

My daughter had a state issued ID at 8 years old using her Birth Certificate as ID to get it. (We went on a Disney cruise..10 years ago..and were told it just might make the ports and on and off the ship and identification of her easier to have, so we did it..easy peasy and she loved it!) My own sister is 55 and never had her drivers license. But she has always had a state ID for WIC, when she was on Welfare..when she worked and needed to cash paychecks and deal with her banking needs, when she got laid off and got unemployment for a few months, when she was admitted to the ER after a car accident, etc. There are just so many reasons to want and even need one, aside from driving a car!

With all of the issues of illegal aliens and what not in this country and its farther reaching problems and how those DO affect legal citizens, bottom lines for financial stuff in this country, etc etc....why would people argue over this?? I too, do not get it.

I have to show ID to write a check, to purchase alcohol or tobacco, or to see a doctor. Why should I not have to show ID to vote?

I think the flack is, that not all citizens have a photo ID. Most people, who don't drive do not have a photo ID and I do not think it's right to force U.S. citizens to get a passport, when you're not going to be going out of the country. It's just too expensive. What I don't understand is that we do have voter ID cards already. They don't have photos on them, but they do have your party affiliatino on it so why can't they just ask for that? If the government is insistand of a photo ID, then have them put it on the voter registration cards in the first place. Another alternative would be to make credit card companies place photo IDs on their cards, but not everyone has a credit card so there you are again.

good information - good question!. I have been thinking the same thing. I'd love to see real numbers of how many "poor/elderly without IDs" are actually voting in our elections? And how truly cost prohibitive is it to get an ID? If this were enacted, is this something that the government would foot the bill for (eye roll) if you are on government assistance or meet other low income requeirments?
I think the pendulum swings both ways and the "they are too poor to get ID" is not a truth either. As always the "truth" lies somewhere between.

First, the installed electronic voting machines with no paper trail in PA. Then they claimed voter fraud would ruin the next election, but the fraud, it has been proven, is on the election officials' side NOT the voter's. Sinice I can't walk out of a voting booth with proof of what I voted for, it can be changed at any point in time after that, and I have no recourse. So, they pass a bill that makes people bring ID to cut down on voter fraud. Makes sense, right?

.

ETA: those who say that it can be difficult for the elderly to get an ID, well then how are they going to get to the polling place to vote? Voting day is one day every 4 years, whereas they can go anytime they want to get an ID, that cost $10 (where I live). Voter fraud is great for the *left* therefore they love to encourage the less fortunate to vote. They even bribe people with cigarettes, lunch, money etc and will show them exactly how to fill out the forms.

Last election there were several public schools that scoped out all the kids that were elegible to vote, they had the kids apply for their voter cards, they showed them which boxes to check on the voter forms and they took them to the polls on a school bus and then took them out for ice cream afterwards. Since these kids were 18, they didn't even contact the kids parents to ask for permission.

I guess there is a lot of different types of voter fraud, but nothing will change because it only benefits on side of the aisle.

People on public assistance have to show tons of documentation, so it really isn't hard to prove who you are.

Original post:

There is a great article about this exact thing & I watched this video last night, it is crazy what the polling employees tell people wanting to vote, it's a must see:

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/07/10/naac...

"Earlier today, Attorney General Eric Holder addressed the NAACP Nation Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. What did media need in order to attend? That's right, government issued photo identification (and a second form of identification too!), something both Holder and the NAACP stand firmly against when it comes to voting. Holder's DOJ is currently suing Texas for "discriminatory" voter ID laws.

The head of the NAACP on Monday likened the group's fight against conservative-backed voter ID laws that have been passed in several states to the great civil rights battles of the 1960s.

"We must overwhelm the rising tide of voting suppression with the high tide of registration and mobilization and motivation and protection," he said.

"Simply put, the NAACP will never stand by as any state tries to encode discrimination into law," Jealous said."