Is it now legal to ask a voter for ID in Illinois?

[benburch]

My wife reports she was asked for ID and told that she had to show ID.

I voted at the same place and was NOT asked for ID.

What's the deal?

[madame defarge]

1. I wasn't asked for ID, but...

I thought they should... They only asked me to verify my address. (I'm in the 10th district.)

[benburch]

3. Prior to this, at least, ID was NOT required at all to vote. nt

[havocmom]

2. Required in Montana. Even in tiny towns where everyone is related

and have known each other all their lives. It's the law. Not much trouble from anyone on the inconvenience of it.

But it should be uniformly enforced.

[EST]

4. Dunno.

I just marched in, grabbed my wallet to prove I am who I am and the nice lady said no, she just needed my name, looked me up in the poll books, ripped out that pager reg and asked me to sign it., which I did. She then asked me if I wanted the dem or rep ballot. I said dem, filled out the ballot, and zipped it into an E S & S model 100, optical scanner, which sucked it down into that big locked box in its base. I was number 94 or 95. Everything went smoothly and the new machines they were bragging about on the TV commercial haven't made it this far, yet, so this was the same setup as 2004, I think.

[Bjornsdotter]

5. It's happened to me

...before, but Mr Bjornsdotter has never been asked.

It happened the first time I voted in McHenry County and they had to blow the dust off of the Democratic ballot. The whole time I was in there they were talking about me and the fact that I was a Democrat. Go figure...

Cheers

[napi21]

6. I don't see a problem asking for ID as long as it isn't mandated STATE ID.

I personally don't want people to be able to just walk in somewhere and just vote. I think you SHOULD have to produce some valid ID when you register to vote. After registered, a proof of who you are should be sufficient.

I don't want illegals, or PUBS being able to double vote, or anything like that!

[benburch]

7. That is an expansion of powers, though.

And it IS a mandated state ID - they asked for her driver's license, and the State-ID card is a driver's license with no driving privilege.

No State ID, no voting.

So, finally it has happened.

Become a number or you are disenfranchised.

[napi21]

11. That's why I phrased it the way I did. There are other ways to prove

who you are and where you live. I DON'T believe in the STATE ID. I don't have a DL myself, but I do have a State issued ID card, but that's because my "dear" State of Ga. insists that I have that to be able to buy a case of beer!!!!!!

I do want ONLY legal registered voters to cast ballots. I don't understand why you have a problem with that?

[maveric]

8. I have to show one in CA.

Its been that way for years in San Diego county.

[Igel]

9. Don't know about IL.

It is in New York. It's not routinely required to show ID, but if one of the pollworkers challenges your identity--after all, it's an easy matter to come in and say you're so-and-so--then you have to show ID. If you can't, off you go; you can come back, but you should have ID when you come back.

Pollworkers in NY are 1/2 dem, 1/2 repub (actually, each of the two highest vote-getting parties in the last federal elections appoint 2 pollworkers per polling station). In the times I've worked the polls in NY, typically each time there's been at least one challenge (which means, in fact, there were two challenges: no initial challenge by a dem can remain unchallenged by the repubs, and vice-versa).

Come to think of it, I'm not sure that anybody ever stated what the acceptable kinds of ID were. Everybody I saw challenged in that way simply hauled out their drivers license.

[KharmaTrain]

10. They Always Do At Our Polling Place

The Poll-watchers know me and my wife (back from the old days when we were the lone Democrats at the polling place) and still want some form of an ID that just verifies who we are. They've done this for years and I've never had any problems with this.

[Beelzebud]

12. They are supposed to check in IL.

I offered my ID, and the guy kinda smiled and said, I know you. (I live in a very small town)

So yeah, when you register to vote, it does say you are supposed to bring a valid ID with you. Although enforcment comes down the people at the polling place.

[Prism]

14. Yep yep

They're supposed to ask, but since most polling places are local, most people recognize you and don't bother.

I was asked for ID in 2004 when the signiature I gave was nothing like what they had on record.

Still, it's always good practice to bring an ID with you when voting just to be certain.

[wildeyed]

13. In my state, a first time voter

who registered without providing ID must provide ID or some equivalent when they go to the polls. After they vote that first time, they should no longer be asked for an ID. I think this policy may be national, part of the HAVA legislation.

Is this the first time your wife has voted in your location? If so, that may explain the discrepancy.