Sorry sisters

[TexasTiger 13,031]

I know folks are concerned about fraud, although there has been little real evidence of it in recent years, but those of us who drive are pretty quick to assume that laws like this aren't a problem for folks.

About 12 Indiana nuns were turned away Tuesday from a polling place by a fellow bride of Christ because they didn't have state or federal identification bearing a photograph.

Sister Julie McGuire said she was forced to turn away her fellow sisters at Saint Mary's Convent in South Bend, across the street from the University of Notre Dame, because they had been told earlier that they would need such an ID to vote.

The nuns, all in their 80s or 90s, didn't get one but came to the precinct anyway.

"One came down this morning, and she was 98, and she said, 'I don't want to go do that,'" Sister McGuire said. Some showed up with outdated passports. None of them drives.

They weren't given provisional ballots because it would be impossible to get them to a motor vehicle branch and back in the 10-day time frame allotted by the law, Sister McGuire said. "You have to remember that some of these ladies don't walk well. They're in wheelchairs or on walkers or electric carts."

Nonetheless, she said, the convent will make a "very concerted effort" to get proper identification for the nuns in time for the general election. "We're going to take from now until November to get them out and get this done. You can't do this like school kids on a bus," she said. "I wish we could."

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Indiana_nuns...ed_at_0506.html

[otterinbham 0]

Oh, sure. But if we make an exception for nuns, then there will suddenly be a run on nun costumes in Milwaukee.

[TitanTiger 20,511]

How long has this law been in place? It's not like they found out about this today.

I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's a terrible burden to expect a photo ID.

[TexasTiger 13,031]

How long has this law been in place? It's not like they found out about this today.

I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's a terrible burden to expect a photo ID.

I don't think it is either...for about 98% of us.

[TitanTiger 20,511]

I don't think it's a huge burden for anyone that's not confined to a bed, given plenty of warning that it will be needed.

[CCTAU 3,350]

Can't you still use an absentee ballot without an ID?

[otterinbham 0]

You can walk into any county courthouse with a birth certificate and proof of residence and obtain a photo ID so she could fly up to Chicago to visit family. It costs next to nothing. I know, because I drove our housekeeper to the courthouse one day (She doesn't drive).

Voila. Five days later, she had a photo ID. So rather than fault the people who probably completely ignored the million different notifications that photo ID would be required at the poll, we instead blame a fair and reasonable law that's intended solely to combat the very real problem of voter fraud.

[AFTiger 282]

The law allows them to vote a provisional ballot and then verify their identity. If they were actually denied the ability to vote then the poll workers were not following the law.