Shirley Preiss was born in Kentucky in 1910 - a full 10 years before American women gained the right to vote. She first voted in a presidential election in 1932, for FDR. She’s voted in every presidential election since, but that’s all about to change due to Arizona’s draconian voter ID law.
As Art Levine reported, Shirley effectively lost her right to vote when she moved to Arizona:
After living in Arizona for two years, she was eagerly looking forward to casting her ballot in the February primary for the first major woman candidate for President, Hillary Clinton. But lacking a birth certificate or even elementary school records to prove she’s a native-born American citizen, the state of Arizona’s bureaucrats determined that this former school-teacher who taught generations of Americans shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
The state’s voter ID law, passed in 2004, requires voters to show ID at the polling place and to provide proof of citizenship in order to register. But birth certificates weren’t issued in 1910 in Shirley’s birthplace of Clinton, KY, and her elementary school no longer exists.
Shirley appeared on the local news Monday night in Phoenix to tell her story:
She’s far from the only victim of this law. The Arizona Advocacy Network reports that nearly 40,000 voter registration forms have been rejected due to inadequate proof of citizenship. And it’s getting to be a national problem.
The Supreme Court gave Indiana the green light last month on its restrictive voter ID law, and other states have already or are in the process of passing similar laws. Everywhere such laws are enacted, the voting rights of thousands of Americans - especially among the poor, elderly, and minorities - are put at risk. Fortunately many other states have fended off voter ID laws, and I’m proud that People For the American Way’s Democracy Campaign played a role in many of those fights. Nothing short of a concerted effort by the progressive movement over the coming years will succeed in safeguarding the right to vote.
Kolbert is president of People For the American Way
No Trackbacks To “97-Year-Old Arizona Woman Disenfranchised by Voter ID Law“
The more people that vote, the worse it is for the RepublicHUNS.
Reason number one for their war on democracy.
And that’s how the Republicans have won every election since 1998- not by winning the hearts and minds of the American voter, but by suppressing the opposition vote.
And until this undemocratic strategy is dismantled, they will hold their illegitimate grip on our government.
“Fortunately many other states have fended off voter ID laws”
Do Dems or Reps run the states that are fending off these laws?
Fixing this next election is going to require some heavy heavy lifting by the repugs.
Voter suppression strategies are supposed to focus on blacks and Hispanics, especially those living in urban areas or who are poor. That’s what our troops fight for, that’s true patriotism, and the American way. 97 year old women and nuns aren’t the intended focus, but if they have to suffer to achieve the more effective strategy of disenfranchising blacks and Hispanics, well, that’s just one of the sacrifices we must make to keep republicans in power. Come-on, a little self-sacrifice people.
Well how the hell else can the Criminal republicans steal an election if they don’t keep hundreds of thousands of democratic voters off the voter roles? In fact they’ve already helped to elect McCain; watch Greg Palast:
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/327.html
This is not a national problem if you are a republican. It is all going according to the plan.
What’s that acronym? “IOKIYAR”?
Number of past cases of illegal voting the Voter ID law was supposed to thwart: 2 in 25 years.
Number of voters that have been disenfranchised just since the law was past several months ago: seven.
Can’t some pro-bono lawyers mount cases using the fact that these people are in the SSN system … that they previously voted in US elections? Why are we screaming bloody murder about this?
These laws have been championed by the very same politicians that claim they want government off your back and government is the problem not the solution. This is a fine example of what happens when radical regressive chumps gain power and turn the clock backwards!
A little off topic but I just recently applied for a new passport, I lost my old one in a house fire in 1990. I got a valid birth cert from the city and county of San Francisco, I have lived in California all my life, I file tax returns every year. My passport has been denied until I fill out a multi-page report stating every residence I have ever resided, all kinds of info about my family, the list goes on and on. The Dumbya Regime State Department is pathetic!
The regressive right has made this country as pathetic as any banana republic in history. Perhaps there will be a positive change someday? Don’t count on it, the regressive hacks don’t want any interference of the tyranny they are enjoying
First nuns, and now this? Thank you right-wing Supreme Court! You totally suck!
And that’s how the Repugs will win this time. If not their many tricks of voter supression ( the Repug AZ Sec of State has recently approved Diebold machines)they can refer it to the Hack Supreme Court! Or: Wouldn’t it be awful if a terrist attack forced the pResident to unilaterally cancel the elections? These repugs are toast if they lose power. Too many of them could end up in prison if Democracy is permitted to win the day.
What do you want to bet she’s been on the books as a democrate her whole life, and if so, would she have been allowed to”slip by” if she was a re-pud voter. CEO
What a horrible law. It’s not like Arizona has a large demographic of residents that arent American citizens….
Oh, wait a minute….
OT
BUT!
FEMA gives away $85 million of supplies for Katrina victims
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) — FEMA gave away about $85 million in household goods meant for Hurricane Katrina victims, a CNN investigation has found.
These items, stored by FEMA, were meant for Katrina victims but were given to state and federal agencies.
1 of 3 The material — from basic kitchen goods to sleeping necessities — sat in warehouses for two years before the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s giveaway to federal and state agencies this year.
James McIntyre, FEMA’s acting press secretary, told CNN that FEMA was spending more than $1 million a year to store the material and that another agency wanted the warehouses torn down, so “we needed to vacate them.”
—
Martha Kegel, the head of a New Orleans nonprofit agency that helps find homes for those still displaced by the storm, said she was shocked to learn about the existence of the goods and the government giveaway.
“These are exactly the items that we are desperately seeking donations of right now — basic kitchen household supplies,”
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/.....topstories
No one could have predicted that a law designed by Republicans to keep Democrats from voting would keep Democrats from voting.
This raises my anger to “code red”. What a stinking, f*cking shame. If there had been ANY evidence that there was a problem with voter fraud, I could rationalize this travisty. But having none, only the fact that these stinking, fascist republicans want to disinfranchise the lower socio-economic class…mostly Democrats…from voting is appalling.
Shame on us. Shame!!
The Voter ID Law Also Prevented Jesus From Voting
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1800
maverick’s gonna get snakebit in AZ come nov.
Now how is it that a woman who spent 98 years on this earth, was educated and probably as a teacher worked as a employee hired by one kind of civil service or another, not have any ID that shows she’s an American citizen? You can prove your citizenship with more tahn just a birth cert. and many state agencies will find other accomodations in situations such as hers. AFter 98 years, there is NO paper trail?
Boggles the mind…
Heeeey…they have to restrict the right to vote
To preserve Democracy.
The key question: How many of those 40,000 voters were Democrats? If a study can prove a disadvantage (or advantage) for one party or the other, the court rulings can be challenged.
That woman is clearly a gay Mexican Islamo-fascist. Anyone can tell from just looking at her. We really dodged a bullet with that one. Thanks Republicans!
Well, Jay. Say you once were married and got divorced. You moved from Utah to Nevada. Guess what? You can’t get a driver’s license even with your birth certificate unless you can produce divorce papers. So you request your divorce papers which are on record in Californis and you get no response.
You don’t have a driver’s license.
If you were born in 1910 there may not be a record of your birth. Although you may be on record as having worked here there and every where how do you prove it?
How do you prove it was you?
Given the state’s rights issue the Supreme Court will likely not interfere…Oh, wait a minute, forgot about that Florida thing in 2000. That one shot deal where they over ruled the Florida Supreme Court’s recount decision. But, no precedent set, of course.
Yet another travisty brought to you by your friendly fascist repigs.
Wow…so the 15% Solution isn’t fiction after all…this isn’t good!
Maybe one solution is to start, not a voter registration campaign (although that would be a good idea) but to start a “Let’s get every voter an ID card campaign.
Inform as many people as you can that you can try to help them get an ID so they can vote.
“The Arizona Advocacy Network reports that nearly 40,000 voter registration forms have been rejected due to inadequate proof of citizenship. And it’s getting to be a national problem.”
I would hazard a guess that they caught 40,000 illegals trying to vote, and that the voter ID law you quote is working as intended.
Wimen aint allad ta vott
While Arizona is protected from the threat of Democrats being able to vote things are not as secure at the Port of Baltimore.
Devices to make port IDs broken
Four of 12 machines work, lawmaker tells Homeland’s Chertoff
Associated Press
June 11, 2008
http://www.baltimoresun.com/bu.....2540.story
Well, Jay. Say you once were married and got divorced. You moved from Utah to Nevada. Guess what? You can’t get a driver’s license even with your birth certificate unless you can produce divorce papers. So you request your divorce papers which are on record in Californis and you get no response.
You don’t have a driver’s license.
If you were born in 1910 there may not be a record of your birth. Although you may be on record as having worked here there and every where how do you prove it?
How do you prove it was you?
I’m pretty sure that if my only problem was a bureaucrat wont answer the phone I could navigate my way to someone who would help. Getting a copy of your divorce papers is easier that filing for a marriage cert in some states…:-)
And like I said, there are other ways of establishing your citizenship than a birth cert…especially if her past is as long and storied as the article claims it is.
I really think its disingenuous to claim how important the right to vote is (of which I agree 100%) and then not take any precautions to make sure it’s not abused. If you’re not going to check ID’s at the polls, the least youc an do is make sure the registrant is a citizen first. I will admit that if Arizona’s law reuires both safeguards, that is a bit of overkill….but in a state with the demographics that AZ has, it makes much more sense to me that the laws be stricter than in say….North Dakota.
Maybe one solution is to start, not a voter registration campaign (although that would be a good idea) but to start a “Let’s get every voter an ID card campaign.
Inform as many people as you can that you can try to help them get an ID so they can vote.
Now that is a great idea.
Jay @ 20:
Didn’t you watch the video?
She has multiple forms of identification. She just doesn’t have the specific ones needed.
Keep in mind that some forms of identification expire.
This is kind of out of left or right field, but I wonder if she has a family bible with births and deaths recorded in it. Sometimes that will work for someone who is elderly and has no birth certificate.
Cheney responded with “So?”
Jay @ 32:
How does it make more sense? Do you have data on increased voter fraud in Arizona?
How does it make more sense? Do you have data on increased voter fraud in Arizona?
Dont be coy.
pissed off patricia @ 35:
I believe that we’re about to move into the realm where conservatives start shouting that voting is a privilege and not a right.
We’re on the road to seeing many more restrictions placed on voting.
xoites defends Constitution @ 24:
My first thought was: Social security number, even though it’s not supposed to be used for ID purposes. Still, if that’s all you’ve got, it must mean something…especially if you’re receiving the benefit.
I don’t have a problem with having to prove residency…but for completely different reasons: I don’t trust republicans, as they would be the first to violate the voting privilege.
<i.I believe that we’re about to move into the realm where conservatives start shouting that voting is a privilege and not a right.
We’re on the road to seeing many more restrictions placed on voting.
Of course not…but the alternative from progressives seems to be, let there be NO restrictions on it what so ever.
You C-A-N-N-O-T lecture on the importance of voting rights, then take absolutely no protections what so ever to protect it from being abused.
I didn’t know innocent until proven guilty only applied to felons and not voters.
I have a feeling that every person born before they started issuing social security numbers will have problems voting this year.
(Yes, I realize they all eventually got one for the smarty pants on this board)
For god’s sake, can’t they just contact Kentucky and get her info from there? She was legally registered there and has a long voting record. Could a little common sense be used once in a while?
Jay @ 38:
I’m not that cute.
I do not believe that laws should be passed that can restrict our freedoms, unless there is a documented need to do so.
Which is opposite of the typical politic wisdom and an infinite number of laws are needed in order to completely manage our lives and give us a paradise on Earth.
Perhaps we should pass some laws prohibiting leprechauns and unicorns from voting, just in case? Or would it be more prudent to worry about more important issues until it can be shown that we have a problem with leprechauns and unicorns committing voter ID fraud?
If there is a big voter fraud problem in Arizona, then where is the evidence?
Jay @ 41:
Who told you that there were no protections against fraud in place?
Where did you get that idea?
This is going to end up in the Extreme Court, where we all know that just remedy will be swiftly delivered….
If somebody tried to wrongfully disenfranchise me, I would feel compelled to stop paying all taxes. If I have no representation or am not allowed to participate in in choosing the representation that I do have, I have no incentive to contribute to society. I suggest that she become as much a burden on society as she possibly can.
McCain should have her on the roles within 24 hours of hearing about this. Good PR.
The Dems should quit whining year after year about IDs and help people get them.
It’s good citizenship and good politics.