Thread: MI:ACLU "cautions" cities about ID requirements at

ACLU cautions cities about ID requirements at the polls

By Rene Cizio, The News-Herald

PUBLISHED: August 3, 2008

ALLEN PARK — The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is contacting some municipalities to ensure that voters' rights are not compromised in upcoming elections.


In the summer edition of the city's newsletter, under voting information, it reads, "State law now requires that you show photo ID when voting at the polls."
That information, though correct, can be misleading, according to the ACLU.

Michigan law requires voters who have a picture identification of any kind to show it. However, if they do not have a photo ID, they can sign an affidavit stating so and still vote.

In a three-page letter to the city clerk, the ACLU wrote:

"We do not believe that your office intended to discourage registered voters without photo ID from going to the polls on election day. We are concerned, however, that the clerk's office may not fully understand the affidavit option and the ease with which voters without photo ID may vote by signing the affidavit."

City Clerk Michael Mizzi said it is a simple misunderstanding.

"All of my precinct workers and staff know that if voters don't have photo ID, then they just have to fill out the affidavit," he said.

Mizzi said the wording in the city's newsletter is similar to what other communities have as well and was not intended to deter any voters.

"I am always advocating for more voters," he said.

Mizzi said he is working with Allen Park Public Schools on a program he is developing — called "Bring a voter to vote" — to encourage more voters. He said he would like to extend the program to other school districts as well.

According to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office, 370,000 of Michigan's 7 million registered voters do not have picture ID.

"It's important for all municipalities in Michigan to give correct and complete information not only to voters, but to all poll workers," said Mary Bejian, deputy director of the ACLU of Michigan.

"The ACLU is committed to working with all cities in Michigan to ensure that no voter is discouraged from voting due to misinformation. Unfortunately, we expect that our letter to Allen Park is only the first of such letters we write this election season."

Anyone who falsely signs an affidavit in order to vote is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to one year in jail and/or a fine of $2,000.

Mizzi said he already has printed more than enough affidavits for all of the 16 precincts he runs in the city.

"I encourage all registered voters to come out and vote," Mizzi said. "I hope and expect that we'll break voting records this season."

The city has about 20,000 registered voters.

http://www.thenewsherald.com/stories/08 ... 3003.shtml

Anyone who falsely signs an affidavit in order to vote is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to one year in jail and/or a fine of $2,000.

Make sure this is in HUGE or BOLD lettering and add that is it a deportable offense.

ACLU makes the laws now??

370,000 people who have NEVER written a check, bought booze or cigs, applied for membership cards in warehouse clubs, who don't drive a car, cashed a check, and on and on.......

They are probably all homeless people....??! Why would a person take the time to vote if they won't take the time to get an ID.

I'm from this area originally so I find this particularly offensive. There has been more than enough time for people to obtain picture IDs if they didn't have them before. Michigan has had State IDs with pictures for many years for those who don't qualify for driver's licenses or don't want one. They need to present them to cash checks and do transactions at retailers. Therefore most citizens already have them.

So give me a break, these are ACLU intimidation tactics at work

I am a volunteer observer and translate in two languages at our polling place and I DO tell non-english speaking would be voters that they will lose their legal status here if they vote. I don't ask if they are illegal, I tell them they cannot vote if they are not US citizens. I was shocked to find out how many had not been told they could harm themselves by voting. The majority would then leave, the ones who voted anyway (knowing it was illegal) I turned in. I kept abreast of what happens to them and every one I've turned in was rejected for citizenship because they VOTED.

The ACLU and La RAZA are one in the same....both need to lose their 501c3 status ASAP!

Photo ids have been handed out to illegals as fast as welfare dollars in many states, with no check of citizenship. If that is the case, all that proves is your face matches you, not whether you are eligible to vote.
How many fraudulent driver's licenses are out there? While ACLU statement looks as though they are standing up for the law, they are actually defending the rights of IA law breakers.
After all, didn't some of the 9/11 hijackers have five or six licenses?

Originally Posted by IndianaJones

ACLU makes the laws now??

In their own wee little minds they do. They have lost numerous similar suits in the past. I am surprised they are still beating this horse. They seem to keep forgetting that they only have won 56.87% of their cases. To hear them speak, you would think they were batting 100. The majority of the cases they have won have been on Free Speech and Defamation cases.

Originally Posted by cayla99

In their own wee little minds they do.

LOL! They must be miniscule or non-existant!