Your Voting Rights

If you are a citizen of this country and have attained or will attain by election day the age of eighteen you have the right to vote.

In spite of what you may hear if you're not a citizen you can't vote. Fantasies about President Obama importing millions of illegal immigrants to vote is pure nonsense. In fact the Obama Administration has deported more illegals than the previous three Presidents combined.

Your right to vote has come at a great price and it is up to you to be your own advocate on protecting that right. Do not wait for someone to come to you and lead you to the voting both. You must find out how to register and make certain you have a valid photo I.D. if your State requires it. There are numerous bonehead Republicans caught on tape discussing why they have worked to pass Voter I.D. laws. They should be busted down to stuffing envelopes and never allowed to speak for their party again. But you must not let them defeat you. If you don't personally need a driver's license, then get a State photo I.D. Allow yourself enough time to gather the documentation you need to achieve this. Find out from your BMV how much this will cost and again allow yourself enough time to save the money. In some States they offer a low cost or free photo I.D. for hardship cases, make certain you ask. Also seek out assistance from nonprofit organizations and ask your local election board for help.

We could make the argument that requiring proof for voting that costs money is a poll tax but the argument ultimately collapses because we live in a modern society where identification is required for a multitude of reasons including buying alcohol, tobacco or using a credit card, as well as a wide range of financial transactions. It is not unreasonable to simplify the voting process by asking for a photo I.D.

Remember, if voting really matters to you, it is up to you to fight for that right and do what is required to do it. If you know you will be out of town or are homebound, vote absentee. If you have access to early voting, use it, don't wait for election day and stand in line. Call your local election board or County Clerk and ask for help.