Voter ID is back at the Nebraska Legislature. This time it’s been proposed as a potential constitutional amendment, in the form of a Legislative Resolution seeking placement on the November ballot. This is a flat-out bad idea for Nebraska, and we won’t let this happen. Join us at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, for an indoor rally at Wilson & Washburn, 1407 Harney St. in Omaha, to unite against LR292CA – the resolution that, if passed, would open our state to a harmful voter ID law. There will be snacks and kid-friendly activities, as well as a cash bar for those over 21. RSVP here via Facebook.
Why are we gathering to say no to voter ID? We all know that such measures are expensive “solutions” in search of a problem. We all know that it creates unnecessary barriers to the ballot for thousands upon thousands of Nebraskans. With state senators poised to consider the resolution, it’s time to spread our message far and wide. Together with your fellow Nebraskans, neighbors, and elected leaders, you can send a clear message that voter ID is not a Nebraska value.
Voter ID disenfranchises voters. It disproportionately affects the elderly, the differently-abled, those living in poverty, and the highly mobile. For example, consider J.S., a 77-year-old Omahan and a lifelong Republican, who has been visually impaired for more than a decade. As a result of her condition, she no longer drives and doesn’t have a current driver’s license. She’s voted every year since 1962. Under a voter ID system that requires state-issued valid and current ID, though, she would not be permitted to vote – even though she has not moved nor changed her party affiliation; she simply has had the misfortune of getting older and losing her eyesight.
Could J.S. have a new ID sent to her? Sure – for a cost. But requiring someone to pay a fee so that they may simply exercise their right to vote is, in essence, a poll tax. No one who truly believes in representative democracy would want to see such an oppressive system implemented in our state.
Why don’t we avoid poll tax issues and just give J.S. a free ID? Recent best estimates show that the state would have to commit nearly $3 million to create a free ID system, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars every year just to maintain it. Given that no one can point to a single legitimate example of voter fraud in our state, that’s a waste of taxpayer time and money.
So as you can see, support for voter ID is a mile wide, but only an inch deep. It evaporates with the tiniest amount of sunlight. Once reasonable people learn about all of the problems inherent with voter ID, they drop it like a bad habit. That’s why we’re asking you to join us Feb. 15 in Omaha, where we’ll say it loud:
Defending our freedom is the right thing to do – so let’s all defeat 292!
Sign up for news, updates, and opportunities to advocate for voting rights.
