By Steven M. Kamp
Vote By Mail – It Keeps You Away from the Ballot Box Bullies
In a majority of American states – including some large ones such as California, Oregon and Washington but excluding Pennsylvania – any registered voter can vote by mail, sometimes called “absentee voting.” In fact, in Oregon and Washington, it’s your only option! (They have abolished polling places – so Twentieth Century!) Indeed, some voters have already started to cast their absentee ballots.
A major advantage of voting by mail is convenience – you don’t have to worry that it might rain on Election Day, or that the line will be too long. If you don’t trust electronic voting machines (the only polling place or early voting technology used in Nevada, for example), you can vote by mail on a fill-in-the-ovals paper ballot (if it reminds you of college, too bad – nothing is perfect); in Nevada, anyone can request an “absent ballot,” but typically only about 10 percent do so (50-60 percent instead “vote early” on the machines).
Another advantage was revealed in a page one (plus a full jump page) New York Times story on September 17, 2012, that the Tea Party-spawned “True the Vote” group will be patrolling the polling places, and in Ohio alone will attempt to throw more than 700,000 voters off the rolls. In California, no one other than the precinct board members may challenge anyone’s right to vote, but this is not true in some states. However, if you vote by mail, you do not have to get up close and personal with “True the Vote” (only with your ballot, the secrecy envelope, the mail envelope, and the postage stamp).
ID Required to Request A Mail Ballot In Some States That Also Impose Conditions On Mail Voting
Every state allows some form of mail voting, but a minority of states still impose conditions that prevent many voters from using this option: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.
In these “conditional absentee voting states,” you typically have to apply for a mail ballot at each election and declare under oath that you will be sent from your county of registration on Election Day, are ill or physically unable to reach the polling place, etc. Check the VoteRiders list of Absentee Voting/Voter ID Requirements for state-specific requirements.
The “conditional voting states,” and some of the others, often require that the voter provide one or more forms of ID with the application. Typically, a driver’s license number or a social security number will suffice. Some states impose an ID requirement on first-time voters only – for example, Colorado requires a Colorado driver’s license or one of nine other forms of photo ID. Indiana requires a driver’s license, photo ID with address or a current utility bill. Idaho, by contrast, requires ID for first-time mail voters only, and allows either a photo ID or a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, or government check that shows the voter’s address. Louisiana requires only a student who is a first-time voter to provide ID – a student ID.
In Missouri and New Hampshire, if the voter did not present ID at the time of registration, when you apply for a mail ballot you must submit a driver’s license or other specified form of ID.
In South Carolina, you must be on vacation outside your county of registration on Election Day, be a Uniformed Forces member or dependent, employed on Election Day, at least age 65 or other specified conditions. First-time South Carolina voters who presented no ID at the time of registration, must provide “any photo ID with voter’s name,” utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement with name and South Carolina address.
Some states take the prize for draconian requirements: Pennsylvania is the keystone state of voter ID requirements – which are discussed at length at VoteRiders.com.
Kentucky Does Not Have An ID Requirement, But Few Can Vote By Mail
Kentucky does not require ID to be presented but has other requirements so restrictive that almost no one can vote by mail or even vote early at the county elections office: advanced age, physical disability, illness, Armed Forces member or dependent, overseas temporary residence, out-of-state temporary residence, student outside county of residence, incarcerated in jail (but not for a felony), or declares under oath will not be in county of registration on Election Day or on any of the days when early voting is taking place at the county elections office.
Virginia: Conditions Plus ID
Conditions: absent from city or county of registration on Election Day; attending school outside Virginia; pregnancy; physically disabled; ill; in jail for a misdemeanor; other specified conditions.
ID: If voter did not provide ID at time of registration - must provide one: a Virginia driver’s license, Virginia voter card, current utility bill/bank statement/paycheck with name and Virginia address.
Tennessee: First-Time Voters Cannot Vote Absentee
In Tennessee, first-time voters cannot vote by absentee ballot. For other voters, there is no ID requirement, but absentee voting is available only if the voter will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all day on Election Day; is a full-time student or spouse of a student; is physician-certified medically unable; or resides in a non-penal institution outside the county of registration; is at least age 65, ill or hospitalized, candidate or an election worker, military or overseas citizen, other specified conditions.
Texas: Must Be Absent During Early Voting
Mail ballot available only if absent during early voting and election day, or is sick/disabled/65-plus. First-time voters only must provide ID if they did not register with a driver’s license number or social security number. ID can be a driver’s license, state ID, passport or other specified ID.
Some States Impose An ID Requirement, But No Conditions
The following states allow any registered voter to request a mail ballot, but require ID to be submitted with the application:
Alaska – social security number, driver’s license, or Alaska State ID
California – First-time mail registrants must submit two of approximately 30 specific forms of ID
Florida – If a family member applies for the voter, the family member must provide a Florida driver’s license number
Georgia – Georgia driver’s license
Hawaii – social security number
Montana – first-time Montana voter + no ID at time of registration: must provide “any photo ID with voter’s name,” utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement with name and Montana address.
North Dakota – driver’s license
Ohio – driver’s license, last four digits of social security number, or if unable, any photo ID with voter’s name
Oklahoma -- first-time Oklahoma voter + no ID at time of registration: must provide “any photo ID with voter’s name,” utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement with name and Oklahoma address.
Rhode Island – first-time Rhode Island voter + no ID at time of registration: must provide “any photo ID with voter’s name,” utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement with name and Rhode Island address.
South Dakota – application must either be notarized, or submitted with copy of South Dakota driver’s license, non-driver ID card, passport, tribal photo ID, or educational photo ID
Utah – first-time voters who did not provide photo ID at time of registration must provide ONE of a Utah driver’s license/Utah state ID/US passport/military ID, or two of utility bill/bank statement/paycheck with name and Utah address.
Washington – if ID not provided at registration, must provide one of either a driver’s license, state ID card, student ID card, tribal ID card, current utility bill/bank statement/paycheck with voter’s name and Washington address.
Three States Do Not Impose Conditions, and Do Not Impose An ID Requirement
Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan
To stay up to date with the latest news on Voter ID around the country you can find
VoteRiders on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.