Thread by @gercohen

A tweet storm on the notion that a photo ID is either necessary or mandated by law for all sorts of things. #ncpol /1 .....

You need a photo ID to fly (Pat McCrory bill signing video when he signed 2013 voter ID bill. NOT TRUE. TSA has lots of workarounds for those without government photo ID, see FOX NEWS story: google.com/amp/www.foxnew… /2 #ncpol

“You have to have by law a photo ID to buy alcohol or cigarettes.” NOT TRUE. If merchant requires a photo ID they have a safe harbor if it’s phony. But no law requiring it /3 .....

“You have to have a photo ID to get a prescription”. PARTLY TRUE. Sudafed and controlled substances has to be a government ID, but it doesn’t have to be that of the patient. Spouses can pick up such controlled scrips by showing the spouse’s ID. Other drugs? No law requires /4

“You have to have a photo ID to cash a check”. That’s entirely up to the merchant. /5

For a large segment especially of the poor they DON’T fly and DON’T have checking accounts /6

When I read the sewer of the comments section I see so many attacks that people without ID are lazy or such, or could easily get one. For many, this isn’t at all true. Those of us in politics are privileged to be in the top 90% of society. /7

We often don’t see the struggle of citizens who are unbanked, poor, homeless, mentally ill, young with no car, or living far away from DMV in rural areas. Shame shame to make fraud allegations. No one is breaking into the voting booth. /8

And I’m not affiliated in any way with any organization involved in the voter ID bill opposition. I have worked actively in North Carolina election law since 1971 and (tooting my horn) consider myself an objective expert /9

I’m speaking from the heart on behalf of the lesser among us, who deserve respect and honor and not baseless fraud allegations or artificial and unnecessary barriers to voting. /10

Evidence: most fraud is mail-in ballots, not voting in person. The other fraud in 2016 was the nearly universally false post-election fraud accusations made by representatives of a campaign, organized by Virginia lawyers who duped volunteers into signing false allegations. /11

Forgot to mention: lawsuit recently filed says 470,000 NC Drivers licenses revoked in last 3 years for failing to pay fines/costs (which have greatly increased in recent years). How would this affect voter ID ? Should failing to pay non-felony court cost affect voting ? /12

And here’s a story from today on homeless in Durham and lost/stolen IDs heraldsun.com/news/local/cou… /15a

Is it possible that the sub rosa reason to put voter ID in the state constitution is to curtail relief of future voter ID statutes on state constitutional grounds? (NC Supreme Court now 4-3 D and there’s a 50-50 chance IMHO it will be 5-2 D next January /14

Also the constiutional amendment is effective upon certification (likely around November 28) allowing a December session to fill in the details. /15

Wow my most viewed tweet ever with 2,819 views, and it’s been less than hour. I must have struck a nerve

At 15 hours after tweeting my first tweet in the tweet storm on voter ID has 11,219 impressions, 506 engagements (whatever that means) and 192 likes or retweets.