Judge strikes down much of 2017 Iowa voting reform law

[47of74]

Source: Des Moines Register

An Iowa judge has struck down large portions of a 2017 voting reform law, declaring much of it unconstitutional.

Polk County District Judge Joseph Seidlin says in a ruling Monday the state may require a voter ID, but election officials must issue a voter ID card to any voter who requests one. The law prohibited election officials from issuing cards to voters with a driver's license or state identification card.

He also struck the signature match provisions, saying they violate the Iowa Constitution.

The judge also makes permanent his earlier order that says Iowa Secretary of Paul Pate cannot require a voter ID number on absentee ballot applications.

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2019/10/01/judge-rules-portions-2017-voter-reform-law-unconstitution/3829470002/

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Get out this popcorn for the Republican whining.

[lark]

1. Signature matching is just an evil way to oust all aging voters.

Our writing definitely declines with age which is their only excuse for excluding this. They know they are heinous to people on Medicare so want to make sure to exclude us so they can continue with their fuckery.

[exboyfil]

2. Also much easier to throw

out Jose and Jadeveon and keep John.

Even an expert would be reluctant to make a conclusion on only one sample.

[Lochloosa]

3. I agree. I have 3 distinct signatures and have no clue which one I used on my voter registration

[Gregory Peccary]

5. GOP certainly doesn't want to curb older voters

That is their main demographic.

[lark]

7. They do in FL.

They used the voter matching to disallow over 100,000 votes in 2018 and I guarantee you a lot of those were elderly. Now were they elderly Hispanic or AA more than old whites - that part is unfortunately most likely true as well based on all of FL's earlier efforts at ratfucking Dems.

[apnu]

12. Trump has shown the GOP doesn't need older voters

So long as they can win razor thin elections in certain mid-west and rustbelt states, and take advantage of the useless Electoral College, they don't need old people anymore.

[riversedge]

8. agree. My mom who votes at every election and knows who she will vote for (she listens to the

evening news every night) has problems with writing--shacking hands at times. But her mind is OK. Her handwriting has definitely changed but her vote would probably be arbitrarily tossed out.

[Mersky]

16. Same with my grandmother

She has arthritis in her joints, not her mind.

[rsdsharp]

9. True about the decline with age, but I think I would have been alright, anyway.

Years ago our bank called my wife and said they weren't sure about the signature on a check. She asked if they could read it, and they said, "No." She told them it was alright; the signature was mine. it was. Unreadable then, unreadable now, unreadable forever (apologies to George Wallace).

[a kennedy]

17. I know, my signature has really changed just because I'm older......and a tad more shaky.

[csziggy]

22. Plus now they are using touch screens for voters to sign on

My signature on a touch screen is nothing like my regular signature with a pen. Last time I voted, the woman wasn't sure she should approve my signature. I keep meaning to complain to the supervisor of elections, but life has been very complicated in the last year so it keeps sliding.

[hibbing]

4. ahhh, so it is "reform"

Just like anything the party does, dress it up as reform. Tax reform = huge cuts for the ruling class, voting reform = disenfranchise as many people as possible, the list goes on and on.


Peace

[deurbano]

11. I know! At first I assumed it was a Republican judge striking down an ACTUAL voting reform measure

as opposed to a judge striking down yet another attempt at Democratic voter disenfranchisement.

[LiberalLovinLug]

13. Me three!

With all these judges Trump is appointing. Plus all these Republican governors enacting voting suppression laws.

[central scrutinizer]

19. Don't forget welfare "reform"

Simple misspelling of “repeal”

[rurallib]

6. Guess what the legislature will be doing next session

Voter suppression
Student voter suppression and
Why not fuck with IPERS while they are at it?

[bucolic_frolic]

10. My signature changes as I age

fatter fingers, tired tendons, thicker muscular control. And my writing looks more like my parent of the same gender. ID'ing people based on signature is not foolproof. Plus there's posture. Sitting down - good signature. Scrawling a check signature in the driver's seat of my car - fuzzy. Electronic ID signature reader - jumpy.

[patphil]

15. Yes, I have noticed that my signature has changed over the years.

It's not a matter of old age yet, but I can see how the shapes of some of the letters has "evolved" over the decades.
There are so many factors, including stress, that result in a long term, gradual change in the look of a person's signature.
I agree with others here that it can result in subjective challenges, based on which party you are registered with and which party is in power locally.
With that said, Republicans appear to be much more likely to reject signatures since there are usually more Democrats than Republicans, and they believe that if they can reduce the number of Democrats allowed to vote it will work out better for the Republicans.

Patrick Phillips

[lagomorph777]

21. Mine changes every single time I sign.

If you see two of my signatures matching, you can be sure one of them is forged.

[iluvtennis]

14. Awesome news! nt

[PatrickforO]

18. Good news.

[lagomorph777]

20. Light at the end of the tunnel.

And watch out Russiapublicans: that light is a freight train coming at you.

[FakeNoose]

23. What an evil law - Shame on you Iowa!

Thank goodness this honorable Judge stood up and refused to accept this hogwash.