Photo ID, and exercising your right to vote

Who ever said “overnight success usually takes about 20 years” hit the nail on the head.  A good case in point; the Republican Majority in the North Carolina General Assembly has tried for 13 years to require a photo ID to vote.

Well, miracle of miracles, when you go to the polls to vote in this year’s Primary elections you will, thank the Lord, have to produce a photo ID to vote. There are, however, several exceptions for a legitimate voter to cast a provisional vote without a photo ID; if they have a qualifying reason.

It is unbelievable how many ways and excuses Governor Roy Cooper and the Democrat leadership used to defeat all attempts to require a photo ID to vote. One of the most egregious accusations was that Republicans wanted to suppress voter turnout.  Another accusation was that requiring a photo ID to vote would be discrimination against people of color.

Well, well! Let’s just see how suppressed the voter turnout will be in this year’s elections. Also, let’s see if the number of people of color who vote is suppressed.   

To buy alcohol and cigarettes requires photo ID and I certainly have observed folks of all colors involved in those transactions.  If you drive, you are required to have a driver’s license with your photo on it. 

Go to the hospital, get a prescription filled, buy an airplane ticket, or take your child to the Duplin County library; better have your photo ID.

Wow! How many different transactions are all of us required to produce a photo ID in order to complete those transactions?  It is necessary to produce a photo ID in order to receive the entitlements like food stamps that many of our citizens rely on to sustain themselves and their families?

Oh yes, and they claimed that some people didn’t have a photo ID and could not afford to get one.  So the Republican sponsored legislation required our government to provide one free of charge. But the Democrats keep singing their discrimination and voter suppression chants. Then Eric Holder and other national benefactors put up huge amounts of money to take the Republicans to court.  

They also knew that many of the biased Democratic judges would ignore the rule of law and our constitutions and makeup laws that would not support requiring photo ID to vote.

It used to be that most folks would get embarrassed if they made claims that were totally void of any truth. But Democrat leaders know their main stream media puppets will not call them out.

Here is the bottom line in our technology driven society today: a person’s word is no longer his bond. Dishonesty abounds today.  Thieves thrive on stealing names and identities.  An entirely new industry has arisen in the last few years to help prevent someone from stealing a person’s identity.

Here is the reality today; you have to have evidence that you are who you say you are! To engage in the world wide supermarket of commerce today, folks want to know that you are who you say you are. Most of us do not mind providing that evidence. 

The right to vote is precious and should be defended at all cost. Fair elections that produce honest results are necessary to sustain our Constitutional Republic. To the extent possible, each of us should be assured that the person casting a vote is eligible and is properly identified.

We, the people should be pleased to identify ourselves with a photo ID and exercise the sacred right to cast our vote one time; but only one time.

Jimmy Dixon (R-NC04) represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.