When some conservatives can't win at the ballot box, they try to disenfranchise voters, which is the gravest insult to those who have died fighting for democracy

And this happening in Virginia right now because the anti-gay, anti-woman, and anti-immigrant GOP candidate for governor is trailing his Democratic opponent...



In Texas, where a popular Democratic woman, Wendy Davis, is running for governor.  From ThinkProgress:

In addition to attacks on their reproductive rights, women in Texas are facing another sizable problem: large-scale disenfranchisement. Thanks to the state’s strict voter ID law – going into effect on November 5 – constituents must nowprovide a photo ID with their most up-to-date, legally-recognized name at the polls. On the surface the prerequisite appears achievable, but in reality it disproportionately impacts female voters, specifically those who are married.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “66 percent of voting-age women with ready access to any proof of citizenship have a document with [their] current legal name” – the remainder must find a way to procure a new photo ID to vote in upcoming elections. Because so many women fail to update their IDs after adopting their spouses’ last name, their right to vote is under threat. Doing so, however, comes with a litany of obstacles.

Constituents must show original documents verifying legal proof of a name change, whether it is a marriage license, divorce decree, or court ordered change – they are prevented from using photocopies. In the absence of original documents, voters must pay a minimum of $20 to receive new copies. Due to inflexible work schedules and travel expenses, voters often opt to have their documents mailed, incurring additional costs.

Taken together, these obstacles to proving a legal name change will eliminate a large pool of women from the state’s electorate, as many will face time and financial constraints that will prohibit them from securing new credentials. On the other hand, the majority of men eligible to vote will not encounter the same difficulties, because they do not typically modify their names when married.

Anyone -- Democrat or Republican -- who tries to disenfranchise another citizen from voting is not a real democracy-loving American. This behavior is reprehensible, the same as treason.