a voter's FACE

.

It seems when Voters really turn out to vote*  " It was difficult for precinct workers to check off all of the early voters from the rolls of eligible voters."- Executive Director of the Wake County Board of Elections

Summer 2011
This summer there was a push in the NC legislature by the elected majority to enact legislation calling for voters to present photo identification before casting ballots, saying it would combat voter fraud. Those against the idea argued cases of voter fraud were rare and that the ID requirement would disenfranchise many voters- college students(out of State), the elderly and the poor. North Carolina's Governor vetoed the voter ID bill, and the House could not override the veto though it tried.

This week in North Carolina, August 2011
Three people were charged Thursday with voter fraud after authorities determined that they voted twice in the Wake County 2008 National election- a fourth was charged with voting twice last year, officials said.

As a follow up to these voter fraud charges  the Wake County District Attorney said (to be sure there was no link to the legislature's failed attempt at voter requirement changes) - the charges against the four accused don't involve a case of someone voting under someone else's name- (which is what  the ID legislation targeted.)

 Good to clear that UP. No confusion there.


 Two of the voters accused- an engaged couple- spoke out immediately saying they did vote early in the 2008 election. Unsure about the process on Election Day, they said they went to the polls to make sure that those early votes counted.

the young man said :
 "I was confused and did not know, This is my second time voting for a president in my life."

the young woman said:
"We told her (poll official) we had already early voted, and we just wanted to make sure it counted." According to the young woman the precinct official  told them -'If you have a ballot, then go ahead and vote.' And that is what we did. We did not think anything of it."

So when is voter fraud voter fraud?

 When we vote using someone else's name? When we want to be sure our vote is counted-and are told to vote again to be sure?  or when a chad hangs?

when do we risk a self-inflicted wound—a wound that harms the nation?


How do we make it simple? Really it should be. The young man accused of voter fraud said- voting should be simplified and have tougher checks and balances.
No doubt- but will it ever happen? Is requiring an id the answer?

What about identifying tattoos? 

What do these "players" faces look like? What are your own assumptions about the accused, the Executive Director of the Board of Elections, the polling official on election day, the D.A., the Governor, the Legislature of North Carolina?

*Voter turnout in the 2008 NC election was 69 percent statewide, which officials said was one of the highest in decades