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1. Embed this notice
   Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 11:43:40 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

   I have no issues with voter ID laws provided the state allows residents—even homeless people—to register for a state photo ID for free (the latter which many DMV’s provide).

   Confirming your identity using a passport (which I use), drivers license, or state photo ID is reasonable, as you need these anyways to purchase guns, airline tickets, cigarettes 🚬 or alcohol 🍺.

   👉🏾 The GOP’s “Show Us Your Papers” Bill Is the Latest Effort to Help Trump Take Over Elections https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/trump-wants-to-take-over-elections-save-act-voter-id-suppression/

   • Steve's Place and GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 11:56:13 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @lauren Certified birth certificates can be easily obtained (I had to do this years ago as my birth certificate was decades old) via authorized third party companies or from the birth state itself.

     Many people do not have passports, but most have drivers licenses & many states offer free state ID with photo for anyone who asks (including homeless people).

     Using a photo ID is not horrific. People use them every day to buy things & for travel.

     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 11:56:14 JST Lauren Weinstein

     in reply to

     @darnell Don't fall for this. It is literally a trap, as detailed analysis of the demographics involved show. Many people don't have passports. Many people do not have the certified birth certificates that would be required to register. All of this is largely a side-attack on mail-in voting. Do not give an inch. It's the camel's nose under the tent.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:16:18 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Supermoosie

     @SuperMoosie @lauren Verifying identification for important or dangerous activities is not a controversial issue.

     Photo ID is needed for airline travel ✈️ , cigarettes 🚬, beer 🍺, purchasing guns, etcetera. Having it for voting 🗳️ is not a huge issue, & most Americans support this overall (at least they did during the last election): https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx

   • Embed this notice
     Supermoosie (supermoosie@mastodon.au)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:16:20 JST Supermoosie

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @lauren @darnell

     What problem are you trying to solve?

     Is there any hard evidence of said problem?

     Are you just putting barriers up for the sake of it.

     In Australia we have compulsory voting. The independent body that runs elections says there isn't a problem here.
     The instances of multiple voting is not significant. Mainly confusion by old people. Eg voted at the nursing home earlier, then family took them to voting booth later.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:19:40 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • klausfiend

     @klausfiend @lauren That issue has already been resolved in many states. When my state pushed for voter photo ID, courts & voters demanded a free option for those who could not afford a drivers license or passport.

     So at tax payers expense, my state gives homeless people a free, photo state ID. I believe other states have similar options available as well.

   • Embed this notice
     klausfiend (klausfiend@dcerberus.com)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:19:42 JST klausfiend

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @darnell @lauren Lawyers at DHS argued in December that Real ID is not satisfactory identification. I don't have a problem in principle with ID, either, but the only problem SAVE solves is "how do we keep people we don't like from voting?" Access to ID in the US is horrendously politicized, solving that has to happen first.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:31:44 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Supermoosie

     @SuperMoosie @lauren As long as there is a free option available for homeless folks, then voter photo ID laws are not controversial. My state has done this for years without issue, & it is popular across the political spectrum.

   • Embed this notice
     Supermoosie (supermoosie@mastodon.au)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:31:45 JST Supermoosie

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @lauren @darnell

     Ahh, so you are building a democracy for "most", not all.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:52:42 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Ariaflame
     • Supermoosie

     @ariaflame @SuperMoosie @lauren State ID is free. If someone was born in the state I live in, then they probably could easily access their required documents.

     I was born out of state so I had to pay my progressive state (that always votes Democrat) $20 to access my birth certificates, then have them mailed to me.

   • Embed this notice
     Ariaflame (ariaflame@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:52:43 JST Ariaflame

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Supermoosie

     @darnell @SuperMoosie @lauren Really and truly free, not just 'free if you pay $$ for all the documents you need to prove you are who you say you are so we can give you this ID' and available at more places than a DMV which is only open at inconvenient hours and impossible to reach via public transport.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:56:32 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Ariaflame
     • Supermoosie

     @ariaflame @SuperMoosie @lauren Umm…homeless people can receive mail thanks to the USPS: https://news.usps.com/2015/05/28/staying-connected-2/

   • Embed this notice
     Ariaflame (ariaflame@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 12:56:34 JST Ariaflame

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Supermoosie

     @darnell @SuperMoosie @lauren So you're not homeless and have somewhere to receive mail.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 13:06:51 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Ariaflame
     • Supermoosie

     @ariaflame @SuperMoosie @lauren I paid $20 because I lived out of state & my progressive state government refused to give it to me for free.

     It probably would be different if I lived in my birth state, but since I did not they said I had to pay.

     But the state I now live in, state photo ID’s are free.

   • Embed this notice
     Ariaflame (ariaflame@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 13:06:52 JST Ariaflame

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Supermoosie

     @darnell @SuperMoosie @lauren Possibly, but it's one more barrier to cross.
     For people whose resources are limited. If you're homeless and living on the street how incentivised are you to pay $20 to maybe get a birth certificate to get an ID?

   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 14:23:23 JST Lauren Weinstein

     in reply to

     @darnell Getting a certified birth certificate in some areas is both complicated, time consuming, and expensive. In some areas, it requires multiple personal visits to locations that people without easy access to transport or with health issues limiting movement can't do. In some areas the documentation required to even get a certified birth certificate is complicated. I'm sorry, you're just wrong on this one.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 15:14:39 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     @blogdiva 🙄 I owe you nothing & for the record, my parents & grandparents also faced discrimination & yes, they have their birth certificates too.

   • Embed this notice
     your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦 (blogdiva@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 15:14:40 JST your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     in reply to

     @darnell if you don't know any Puerto Rican or AfricanAmericans who couldn't vote because of this, FIND THEM NOW. my parents didn't get cracked skulls and end up in jail for an educated man like you to say something this fucking ignorant.

     you owe to MY Black and Puerto Rican ancestors.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 20:36:46 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     @blogdiva I am in reality right now, & over a dozen states with voter photo ID laws allow free photo state ID’s for those who are homeless or in financial trouble.

     This is not a huge issue, & the vast majority of folks already have photo ID due to having a drivers license, &/or passport which they need to drive, fly, buy cigarettes 🚬 & beer 🍺 or purchase weapons.

     Voter photo ID is already supported by a majority of Americans across the political spectrum: https://dallasexpress.com/national/polls-show-84-american-support-for-photo-id-voting-trump-urges-congress-to-act/

   • Embed this notice
     your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦 (blogdiva@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 20:36:47 JST your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     in reply to

     @darnell you can't be this ignorant to believe you’re gonna be fine with a piece of paper cuz you have money.

     my BLONDE BLUE-EYED MOTHER was denied the right to vote for having the wrong accent even though Puerto Ricans have been citizens since 1908.

     if white people were denied the vote for having the wrong accent in New York up until 1975, who are you to think money and a birth certificate are gonna protect YOU?

     don't be this ignorant.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 23:10:47 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     @blogdiva 🙄 I have worked at polling stations, & I have talked to people who were not allowed to vote for a variety of reasons.

     Most were at the wrong voting precinct, but others did not register to vote in time after moving, so they had to use a provisional/challenge ballot.

     As far as lemmings go, most do not run off cliff & commit suicide. https://www.britannica.com/story/do-lemmings-really-commit-mass-suicide

   • Embed this notice
     your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦 (blogdiva@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 23:10:48 JST your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     in reply to

     again, find someone who was denied the right to vote and talk to them.

     a majority of lemmings running over a cliff are not right.

     and yes, you owe the right to vote to people like my parents. one of then co-wrote one of the amendments that expanded voting rights.

     your money and your papers won't save you when you are this WILLFULLY ignorant.

     @darnell

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Friday, 13-Feb-2026 00:38:47 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Ariaflame

     @ariaflame See my prior posts. It is self explanatory.

   • Embed this notice
     Ariaflame (ariaflame@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 13-Feb-2026 00:38:48 JST Ariaflame

     in reply to

     @darnell I notice you didn’t address the other issues I mentioned about access.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 01:26:49 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Joyce Bell 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽🇬🇱🚫🧊

     @joycebell @lauren Yeah, the Real ID was a hassle. I ended up bringing my passport, a utility bill, new birth certificate & my debit card.

     But many people took the time to get it done as airlines were no longer recognizing regular drivers licenses.

     As far as a photo ID for the homeless goes, my state provides them for free (it cost the tax payers about $10 per ID), which they can use at the voting booth.

   • Embed this notice
     Joyce Bell 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽🇬🇱🚫🧊 (joycebell@mas.to)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 01:26:50 JST Joyce Bell 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽🇬🇱🚫🧊

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @darnell @lauren Truth. Just getting a real ID drivers license was a pain in the butt because I changed my name when I got married and didn’t have my certified marriage certificate or an original copy of my birth certificate. All this takes time, money, and transportation to the DMV which many people don’t have especially unhoused people.

   • Embed this notice
     tlariv@mastodon.cloud's status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 02:43:55 JST tlariv

     in reply to

     @lauren
     I'm in the process of doing this right now. Full documentation is going to cost me 40€ (I was born in a US Army hospital in Europe) plus $50 to prove my parents were US citizens. It will take months to get the papers.
     @darnell

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 02:47:09 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @patrascan @trouble @tlariv @lauren Voter ID is not as controversial as you think & most Americans support it.

     👉🏾 Voter ID shouldn’t be this controversial https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-02-10/voter-id-controversial

   • Embed this notice
     Pat (patrascan@ohai.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 02:47:10 JST Pat

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @trouble @tlariv @lauren @darnell and don't get me started on this nonsense about raised seals on birth certificates! Valid certifs were considered not valid if it did not have a raised seal, which of course millions did not have depending upon when they were issued. Laminated certificate--you're out of luck, pal. There is no end to this "prove who you are" game, and that's the entire point when it comes to voter id as a means to suppress.

   • Embed this notice
     Trouble (trouble@masto.ai)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 02:47:12 JST Trouble

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • tlariv

     @tlariv @lauren @darnell I recently ordered a official / certified copy of my birth certificate from the county of my birth. When I went to the post office for a passport renewal, they didn't think it was real, even though they look at birth certificates every day but passed it on to the US State Dept anyways (who accepted it). It also cost me $42.75 and took two weeks.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 05:50:22 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @trouble @patrascan @tlariv @lauren Use Google or your preferred search engine to verify what the article stated. These are facts. The vast majority of Americans are in favor of photo ID at the voting booth.

     It is not a huge controversy as most people already need photo ID to buy beer 🍻, cigarettes 🚬, fly on a plane ✈️, buy weapons, & even withdraw large sums of money 💰 at the bank 🏦.

     12 states even provide free photo ID’s for the homeless. This issue is not that controversial.

   • Embed this notice
     Trouble (trouble@masto.ai)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 05:50:24 JST Trouble

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv

     @darnell @patrascan @tlariv @lauren so many lies in that screenshot, I won't even start. Do your own research before reposting exceptionally controversial topics.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:42:05 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @trouble @patrascan @tlariv @lauren I am for voters using photo ID’s at the voting booth. My state requires them, & even issued photo ID’s for homeless people for free.

     I am not supportive of the SAVE act, as it does not support a way for homeless people to obtain photo ID’s free of charge. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/new-save-act-bills-would-still-block-millions-americans-voting

     The Feds should ditch their bill & just mimick what my state does, as it will resolve 99.99% of the issues regarding voters & photo ID’s.

   • Embed this notice
     Trouble (trouble@masto.ai)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:42:07 JST Trouble

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv

     @darnell @patrascan @tlariv @lauren the individual facts are relatively true when viewed individually. The main problem is downplaying the SAVE Act (which requires proof of citizenship) by conflating it with "needing ID" which is intellectually dishonest. We were discussing specific problems around proof of citizenship, and you barge in with "but IDs!". So yes, I take issue.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:42:25 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Comrade Weez

     @weezmgk @lauren 🙄 You’re ignoring the facts presented, especially the one regarding how most Americans (across the political & ethnic spectrum) support voter ID’s with photos. This is not that controversial.

   • Embed this notice
     Comrade Weez (weezmgk@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:42:26 JST Comrade Weez

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @darnell you're seeking a solution to a problem that only the far right thinks exists.

     Stop doing the MAGAts' bidding, they're laughing at you, and so is everyone else. @lauren

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:56:23 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Comrade Weez

     @lauren @weezmgk Most Americans are in favor of using photo ID’s for voting. 🗳️

     As far as the SAVE act goes (which I think is why people are so worked up about this issue), that bill would be declared unconstitutional (as well as vehemently opposed by folks in both parties) in my state as it does not address helping the homeless with their voting rights.

     For what it is worth, there are notable GOP opposed to that bill, so I expect it to perish in the Senate.

   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 09:56:25 JST Lauren Weinstein

     in reply to

     • Comrade Weez

     @darnell @weezmgk They mostly only support it until the details are presented to them. Then support drops like a rock in non-Red states.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 10:06:42 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Comrade Weez

     @weezmgk @lauren You keep making baseless accusations while I am stating facts. If you do not like the preferences of the population, then convince them otherwise with facts, not insults.

   • Embed this notice
     Comrade Weez (weezmgk@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 10:06:43 JST Comrade Weez

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @darnell 50 billion flies like to eat shit, doesn't make it delicious.

     Ad populum fallacy is still a fallacy.

     And you're still carrying water for the MAGAts.

     Whose side are you on?

     @lauren

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 11:26:06 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @lauren @trouble @patrascan @tlariv I addressed this before previously, but people who are homeless can receive a free mail box from the United States Postal Service. https://news.usps.com/2015/05/28/staying-connected-2/

   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Saturday, 14-Feb-2026 11:26:07 JST Lauren Weinstein

     in reply to

     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @darnell @trouble @patrascan @tlariv And how would that help with mail-in voting? That's a rhetorical question, I do not intend to waste more time on this thread unless it keeps going around in circles at which point I may delete it.

   • Embed this notice
     Darnell Clayton :verified: (darnell@one.darnell.one)'s status on Monday, 16-Feb-2026 12:23:34 JST Darnell Clayton :verified:

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • Pat
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @patrascan @lauren @trouble @tlariv That is not only federal law, but wisdom. But a person does not need a mail box in order to obtain a photo ID to vote (at least in my state).

   • Embed this notice
     Pat (patrascan@ohai.social)'s status on Monday, 16-Feb-2026 12:23:36 JST Pat

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein
     • tlariv
     • Trouble

     @darnell @lauren @trouble @tlariv per USPS rule, person picking up their mail must show government-issued ID in order to receive their mail.