Question: if the State of Texas changes their "rules" for proving you are, who your Voter Registration says you are, right before an Election -- is that fair?
Is that Democratic?
Or is it just simply Voter Suppression?
What the Voter ID Law Really Means for Women in Texas
by Maya Rhodan, Swampland.Time.com -- Oct. 24, 2013
[...]
Though the law requires that names on both the identification card and the voter registration card be “substantially similar,” if a person’s name doesn’t match exactly they will still have an opportunity to vote. In that case, voters are required to sign an affidavit affirming they are who they claim, which is then noted in the poll book.
A “substantially similar” name, Pierce says, could include a nickname, a maiden name, and or suffix such as “junior.” If the poll worker finds that the name is dissimilar, a voter can file a provisional ballot and present updated information within six days of the election.
“In a perfect world, you would update your voter registration card regularly to match any identification that you plan to use,” Pierce said.
[...]
There are seven acceptable forms of identification accepted in Texas, including a state-issued driver’s license, handgun license or identification card, military ID cards, citizenship cards, passports, and the Texas Election Identification Certificate, a free ID card distributed by the Department of Public Safety that can be used to vote.
[...]
Did Texas Voters get "fair warning" that Voter ID's will be challenged in such a manner?
Did Texas Voters get "enough time" to square all their ID's in the presumed-guilty eyes of State Officials?
Apparently, this Texas Judge did not get those "fair warnings" ... that she would be viewed as an AVFS -- an Automatic-Voter-Fraud Suspect -- unless she could prove to them, otherwise.
So much for living in the 'Land of the Free' ... at least in some Voter-Rights-free zones, such as the newly restrictive Lone Star state.
Well let's say a confused Texas Voter, DID get that non-existent Voter Board memo. Let's say she wanted to be pro-active about it, and make sure her Legal Name, her Married Name, her Maiden Name -- ALL matched her "Voter Name" ...
What should a confused-concerned Woman Voter do, to be beyond reproach in the judging eyes of Texas Election Officials?
Well, there's always the old-fashioned route -- just Change your Name(s).
How to Change Your Name Legally in Texas
by a Family Law Attorney at avvo.com
[...]
Married?
If you simply want to change your last name after being married, there is no need to file a name change with the court. Simply take the signed marriage license to the local Social Security Office and ask the clerk to issue you a new social security card which reflects the name change - either swapping your name for your spouse's or a hyphenated name. However, if you should also wish to change your first name, you need to go through this process. [...]
How to File
If filing by hand, bring three copies to the county district clerk's filing window. Again, check with the county district clerk's office to find out where the filing window is located. A clerk will take your copies, typically one or two of them, and stamp the third and give it back to you as proof of filing. You will also be asked to pay a filing fee - typically anywhere from $200 to $250, depending on your county. [...]
[...]
Getting Fingerprinted
You now have to go get fingerprinted so that a background check can be run against your fingerprints at the Texas Department of Public Safety. A local police office, FBI office, or DPS office may fingerprint you, it is very highly recommended to get fingerprinted at Fingerprint Applicant Service of Texas (FAST). FAST works with the DPS and the whole process is much quicker. [...]
Waiting
The Texas Department of Public Safety will check your fingerprints and report the findings back to the Court. Now this is somewhat of an awkward wait - you have to continuously check with the court to see if the fingerprints report have come back to the court. Call once a week. There is a wait period of roughly six weeks, although it depends on a number of factors and might take a shorter or longer time. If your court date is coming up and the results have not yet come, ask the Court's coordinator or clerk to move your court date further. [...]
Clear as mud, eh Women? What to do, if you ALREADY have "more than one" Legal Name?
And if those Name Changing chores are just too onerous, TX Women -- you can always do what the State of Texas hopes you will do:
And that is to "Just NOT bother to Vote"
... unless of course,
THEY decide to give you
"an exemption," in the eyes of their new Election-protection law ... like they did for that 'exceptional' Woman Judge --
with more than one Legal Name.
They can't have 'certain people' stirring up trouble now, can they?
They've got an Election Outcome to protect. Votes of the presumed-guilty citizens -- can just be damned.
Cuz you know, that's the just way the old-guard, once red-state of Texas, desperately wants it. With themselves as the "Deciders." ... and everyone else, especially women, the Decidees.