Voting Rights

 

19th Amendment

They thought we were a joke
They tried to dash our hopes
With every word they spoke
They tried to revoke
A woman’s right to vote
But we made it

Restricting anyone’s right to vote is no joke.

In Georgia, a driver’s license can be renewed by mail. In Texas, a driver’s license renewal form is mailed to every driver, even if that driver does not intend to renew his license.  In Florida, it is not illegal for someone else to mail that driver’s license renewal form.  In Alabama, a photo ID is required to buy alcohol but it does not require a special photo ID.

A driver’s license allows a person to use a deadly weapon (e.g. a vehicle weighing many hundreds of pounds, which travels at high speeds) but that driver is expected to act responsibly.  Alcohol can be purchased by adults because they are expected to consume responsibly.  Renewal of a driver’s license is often not confined to business hours in recognition that many people are working or otherwise occupied hours during the RMV/DMV office hours.  I have paid my local, state, and federal income taxes by mail for over 60 years, and in fact I don’t know if, or how, they can be paid in person.

And yet voting is considered such a dangerous activity that the right to vote is restricted.  Mailing ballots to those who are registered, but may not choose to vote, is often prohibited.  Handling a ballot of another, by mail or in election drop boxes, is restricted.  The ID to vote does not include many forms of photo IDs.

Let’s be honest.  Voter restriction laws are enacted because the people who vote by mail, vote not during poll booth hours, or don’t have the right kind of proof of ID, etc. are the “wrong” people. If only the “right” people were voting, these restrictions would not have been enacted.

If these same restrictions were put on driver’s or other government licenses, paying taxes, buying alcohol or tobacco, etc. they would be viewed as a joke and would not be even considered. Placing restrictions on the right to vote is no less of a joke,…. but it is a very poor joke.