Image by Flickr user neon.mamacita
Update July 19: South Carolina's new voter identification law has yet to go into effect, but the backlash against the proposed requirement to show valid photo identification at the polls has many people in the states up in arms.
During an NAACP town hall meeting on Monday, Lowcountry residents expressed their concerns and outrage over the idea that the state is disenfranchising people without proper identification. A worthwhile battle? Maybe. However, protecting against voter fraud and possessing a valid form of photo identification never hurt anyone.
The Post and Courier has more on what was addressed at yesterday's town hall meeting as well as additional details and information on the voter ID law; read it here.
Update May 19: You'll need to remember to bring your non-expired state or federal photo id to the polls next time, or you'll be casting a provisional ballot.
The State has a solid report on the singing and the discourse that follows it in regards to the cost of enforcement, civil liberties, and disenfranchisement; read the report here.
Check out the full bill here.
Update March 29: And the voter ID bill is back in the news again.
News 2 Charleston reports that advocates for the poor, disabled and minorities plan to hold a news conference Tuesday at the Statehouse to protest the bill.
In other news, the measure for early voting died back in 2010, but the Senate has recently amended the House bill to allow for early voting and will bring the topic back to the table.
Update June 15: South Carolina legislators have voted to postpone the debate on a bill that would require voters show a photo ID at the polls and limit early voting.
If legislators can't agree on the terms of the bill by the end of this week's special session, the bill will die.
First reporting: A new legislation, that if passed would require South Carolina voters to present photo identification at the polls and allow for early voting up to fifteen days before an election, is already catching flack.
Republicans claim that the legislation is designed to weed out voter fraud and improve voter confidence, but after a record-breaking turn out at the polls for the 2008 presidential election, Democrats are quite suspicious.
According to an estimate posted in The Post and Courier, about 178,000 registered voters have no state photo ID card. Should this legislation pass, the next step will be to assure all state residents have proper identification.
Hop over to The Post and Courier for the story.
