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Voter ID gets signatures needed for vote
Published Tuesday, March 9, 2010
NATCHEZ — Supporters of voter identification have gathered enough signatures, including 2,014 from Adams County, to put the issue to a statewide vote in 2011.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann announced Monday that his office had verified 131,678 signatures. Only 89,285 were required.
Local Realtor Sue Stedman was a part of the Adams County Republican Party’s effort to collect signatures.
“It was just an amazing effort,” Stedman said. “(Hosemann’s announcement) is music to our ears, I can assure you.”
Though Stedman and fellow Republican Party member Johnny Junkin led the effort locally, it was individuals that made the difference, she said.
“We had lots of good help. There were lots of people who got 10 signatures and lots who got 110.”
Supporters of voter ID argue that it is necessary to decrease instances of fraud at the polls, and that many other states already have ID laws in place.
Opponents argue that voter ID requirements could reduce voter turnout among older voters, especially black voters who were once subject to Jim Crow laws.
But Stedman said those collecting petitions met little opposition.
“We only had one or two reports of people saying they met people who didn’t want to sign,” she said.
Local Democrat, and former mayor, Phillip West said for some people it’s not an opposition to ID requirements, but simply a desire to make sure everyone feels comfortable voting.
“I just want to make sure whatever happens would not limit or restrict people’s right to vote,” West said. “I’m concerned about the elderly folks who may not drive and may not have a picture ID. I just don’t know what the end result would be.”
Stedman said the spirit behind the petition is one that would allow for provisions for those voters without adequate ID.
Stedman said she, and others, would spend time prior to a November 2011 election explaining the details and educating voters on the issue.
“We are anticipating this is going to be a very successful effort,” she said.
Petition signatures had to come evenly from each of the five congressional as they existed in 2000.
Congressional District 4, which contains Adams, Wilkinson and Franklin counties, among others, turned in 25,733 signatures.
And Stedman said she feels they could have gotten many more.
“Hindsight is 20-20, and I think there are an overwhelming amount of people in Adams County who would have signed the petition,” she said. “If we knew what we know now, we would have gone door-to-door.”
The original Adams County goal was 1,350 signatures, but when word came in that other counties in the fourth district were coming up short of their goals, Adams County leaders pushed harder.
“We decided then that we needed to put on a full-court press,” Stedman said. “We were just thankful we were able to do what we could.”
Comments
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 12:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Job well Done! I hope that Mississippi's I. D. law will finally catch up with Louisiana's!
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 1:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
realtalk - I think I agree with you 100%. Could you please start the business boom in Natchez by moving your business or industry to Natchez? I mean you must have some type of business that you could share with us right?
Just as you stated above we have a fine political base, plus we have an excellent school system. So if you could just plant your business here, then surely other would follow right?
Posted by twocentspluschange (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 7:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Applause to mike for real talk.....I for one own two businesses and would love to partner with another thriving business leader without all the talk retoric...take some action not just with your words...i think the voter id is excellent as it helps provide a honest vote count in adams county and the rest of the country.
And to real talk, do you honestly "PAY" taxes to complain or are you a recpient of the broken system we now have?
Posted by lowdowndog (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
MAYBE IF WE GET SOME OF THE CROOKS OUT OF OFFICE THAT WERE ELECTED BY ILLEGAL VOTES(WILKINSON CO.) AND ELECT EDUCATED PEOPLE THAT COULD HELP BRING BUSINESS TO THE AREA. JUST GO TO A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING IN WOODVILLE AND LISTEN. THE BOARD PRESIDENT (WITH HIS STUPID REMARKS)WILL NEVER ALLOW WILKINSON TO MOVE FORWARD. ITS A THREE RING CIRCUS.
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Voter ID is a non issue trumped up as being something sacred.
The biggest voter fraud I have heard of in a decade or so is the selective purging of the voter rolls in some states that prevent thousands from voting. Until after the next election.
You want to make strides in voting honesty, find the people that are doing that and put them in prison for about a decade. Of course you would have to elect some more folks to replace them, and they do all tend to come from one political party.
Just having unqualified voters on the rolls is not voter fraud, and only the tiniest percentage of unqualified voters actually cast an illegal vote an ID law would stop. Example being people who vote local but outside their actual place of residency -- like the flap about the Concordia voters who live in Natchez but work at the sheriff's office and so are required to vote where they work. The voter ID will not stop that at all. But for those that like illusions, it will offer the illusion of safer elections.
Posted by been_there (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The voters that complain that they shouldn't have to prove who they are to vote have something to hide. They are hiding from bill collectors, their ex spouses, girlfriends, dope dealers, boy friends, and other people that are looking for them.
Posted by belowpar (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would go a step further and require every voter to pass a basic civics test before they could vote.
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
been_there has a good point. I have heard that said before.
Some people would like to say that those people that are hiding -- from anyone -- should give up their right to vote.
I say put the people in jail who would like to prevent other people from voting. If our military men fighting for our right to vote, yada, yada has any value, then the people who would take another's right to vote from them should be in jail.
OH! That includes people that support voter ID laws? Oh my.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think you should have to show proof of property ownership before being able to vote on property issues. Show proof you have a job before voting on income tax issues. Own a vehicle then you can vote on car tag taxes. If the tax doesn't effect your having to pay why should you get to vote to tax those that do more so the hog trough is fuller for those feeding from it.
Posted by dave07deuce07 (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WELL; ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE, MONEY TALKS; BULL WALKS. I SUPPOSE, DEPEND ON WHAT PARTY IS TRYING TO BE ELLECTED; RESULTS TO WHAT TACTICS NEED TO BE TAKEN. CAN OUR GREAT CITY MOVE FOWARD, WITHOUT FINDING EXCUSES ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES IS DOING. YOU CAN FOOL SOME OF THE PEOPLE, SOME OF THE TIME; BUT NOT ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME. IF WE COULD ALL PULL TOGETHER TO PULL SOME JOBS IN HERE; THE CITY COULD PROSPEROUS. IT'S SEEMS LIKE MOST THINGS THAT IS BROUGHT UP; IT'S TO DIVIDED THE CITY; OR TO BRING IT DOWN. I LOVE THIS CITY. THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW; LIZ CHENEY WILL BE HERE MAKING A SPEECH.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The requirement for having a Voter ID does not infringe on anyone's rights...it merely reaffirms your legal right to vote in that precinct....PERIOD. Voter ID's do not disenfranchise anyone. It's simple, if you are breathing...and live within that district, you have the constitutional right to vote. No one is taking that right away. For those that want to dream up excuses...what is it that you are afraid of? Perhaps not being able to jam the polls with bussed in voters? Perhaps of not being able to vote multiple times using someone else's name? One man, one vote. A simple concept that has been violated by the few who think they deserve special compensation and rights above all others. I say, if someone is found at the polls trying to pass off a fake ID, then submit them to public flogging and humiliation.
Posted by Torano (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Interesting how Steadman said "hindsight is 20/20"...one would think that if this is something you support, you'd be going door to door regardless. And if your are of legal voting age and do not have some form of identification then your a putz. Any grown adult should have some form of picture id if they vote or not its simply being a responsible individual.
Posted by Merlinskid (anonymous) on March 9, 2010 at 7:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to say that I agree, and so should you all that beam-scotty has the right attitude and the right sense to know the root of the problem If not the root he knows fair-play. I watch apt. dwellers affect my taxes as well as other things in my area. How can you vote on property if you have no property or never had any or any desire to aquire any. Just talking fair.
Posted by RTSJR2 (anonymous) on March 10, 2010 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is nothing wrong with a voter showing ID. If you aren't hiding from someone, you will already have ID. How do you cash a check, use your debit/credit card, or even apply for food stamps without ID?
Americanhomeboy, if you are paying $2.50 for a cup of coffee, try McDonalds.
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