Monday, December 12, 2005

Ohio residents: Call your state senator soon

Tomorrow Ohio's state senate will vote on House Bill 3.

House Bill 3 is a Republican-sponsored bill requiring an ID for those who want to vote. Those without an ID will have to use a provisional ballot, even if they have been voting in their neighborhoods (and thus have been on the community's voting rolls) for years.

Additionally, if you have moved within the last four years, your driver's license has your old address. This will mean that you too will have to vote with a provisional ballot.

Provisional ballots are not counted until after the election and are subject to being thrown out for administrative reasons.

Not only this, but this greatly discourages people from voting. Not only do they have to worry about showing their ID, but they also have to stand in longer lines since each person needs to have an ID checked. This will discourage even more people from voting.

ADDITIONALLY, the current voting law requires that after the vote officials make a random count of the paper records to make sure that the counts are consistent. However, House Bill 3 removes this requirement.

Ohio residents, call your state senator and let them know you oppose this bill. It's simple to do. You just call, say that you oppose it, and they may ask you for your zip code.

To find your state senator, go here. If you need to look-up your ZIP+4 code, go here first.

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