Posted on Advocate.com April 13, 2012 01:00:00 PM ET

How States Disenfranchise Transgender Voters
Tens of thousands of transgender voters may not be heard at the polls because of strict photo identification rules in nine, mostly conservative, states.
By Neal Broverman

http://www.advocate.com/Politics/How_States_Disenfranchise_Transgender_Voters/

Tens of thousands of transgender voters may not be heard at the polls because of strict photo identification rules in nine, mostly conservative, states.

The findings were uncovered by the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank at the University of California, Los Angeles, and released Thursday at the organization's 11th annual conference.

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Voter ID Laws Pose Unique Barriers and Possible Disenfranchisement for Over 25,000 Transgender Voters

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/press-releases/voter-id-laws-pose-unique-barriers-and-possible-disenfranchisement-for-over-25000-transgender-voters/

LOS ANGELES – Nine states' voter ID laws may create substantial barriers to voting and possible disenfranchisement for over 25,000 transgender voters this November, according to a new study released by the Williams Institute during the organization's 11th Annual Conference at the UCLA School of Law.

"As lawmakers consider enacting stricter voter ID laws and contemplate their potential impact in the upcoming November elections, the consequences of these laws for transgender voters should not be overlooked," said the study's author, Jody L. Herman, Ph.D., Peter J. Cooper Public Policy Fellow.

Strict photo ID states require voters to present government-issued photo identification in order to vote. Without the required ID, eligible voters may vote on a provisional ballot and must provide an acceptable form of ID to election officials within a limited timeframe in order for their vote to count.

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The Potential Impact of Voter Identification Laws on Transgender Voters

By Jody L. Herman
April 2012

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/uncategorized/the-potential-impact-of-voter-identification-laws-on-transgender-voters/

Nine states' voter ID laws may create substantial barriers to voting and possible disenfranchisement for over 25,000 transgender voters this November. Strict photo ID states require voters to present government-issued photo identification in order to vote. Transgender voters who have transitioned from their assigned sex at birth to live full-time in a different gender face unique challenges to obtaining accurate government-issued identification. According to the new Williams Institute report, 41 percent of transgender citizens who have transitioned reported not having an updated driver's license and 74 percent did not have an updated U.S. passport.  Moreover, 27 percent of transgender citizens who have transitioned reported that they had no identity documents or records that list their current gender.  People of color, youth, students, those with low incomes, and respondents with disabilities are likely to be disproportionately impacted.

Every state has contingencies for casting "provisional" ballots in the event of a dispute.

No one will be "disenfranchised" (denied the opportunity to vote), if they have lawfully registered to vote, appearances notwithstanding.

Cali has had voter ID laws on the books for 6-7 years now, voter turnout in the last Presidential election was at an all time high.

The Impact of Voter IDs


And why they could disenfranchise transgender and Democratic voters in Pennsylvania


Posted by Natalie Hope McDonald on 4/16/2012 at 10:07AM


http://blogs.phillymag.com/gphilly/2012/04/16/impact-voter-ids/


This November, nine states – including Pennsylvania – will be faced with what really happens when voter IDs are required at the polls. And for more than 25,000 transgender voters, the ID system could create substantial barriers to voting, according to a new study released by the Williams Institute.

"As lawmakers consider enacting stricter voter ID laws and contemplate their potential impact in the upcoming November elections, the consequences of these laws for transgender voters should not be overlooked," says the study's author, Dr. Jody L.

"There is no voter impersonation fraud problem in Pennsylvania; four people out of millions of votes cast is hardly an epidemic," [Democrat State Representative Babette] Josephs says. "The sole intent of this legislation is to keep as many seniors, minorities, low-income and urban residents from voting because these groups are more likely to vote against Republican candidates. It is dangerous legislation and denigrates a constitutional right that millions of Americans have died to protect."

The purpose of the law is to protect the integrity of voting rights, not to discriminate against transpersons.

By way of example, in California, because of the ill-considered "Motor Voter Act," a person, citizen or not, who applies for a drivers license is automatically sent a voter registration form.  Anybody could complete the form, forge a signature, and mail in the registration to vote, without ever having to prove identity.  With no other requirements, the only way to validate a vote is to cross check the signature on the registration to the voter register from the precinct - an impossible task after the fact.

Every citizen's vote should count.  No valid votes should be canceled out by spurious or unlawful votes.  Showing a picture ID helps preserve the integrity of the ballot.