Photo I.D. Stumps Democratic Congresswoman

Yesterday was primary election day here in the great state of Indiana. Like the dutiful citizen that I am, I plopped my 19-month-old toddler in her stroller and went to cast my vote. According to the counter on the machine, I was voter number 97. This was a few minutes before noon.

On the way to run some errands, I heard on the news an interesting tidbit about incumbent Democratic Congresswoman representing Indianapolis, Julia Carson. But before I go on, allow me to explain a bit of info for my non-Indiana readers.

This primary marks the first election in which a valid photo i.d. must be presented in order to vote. This fact has been ALL OVER the airwaves, in television and radio commercials, probably in the papers (which I don't get) and in the last few days, on the local news stations. The BMV has been open extra hours in order to accomodate those who need to obtain a valid photo i.d. It's been hard to miss the fact that you absolutely will need a valid photo i.d. to vote.

What constitutes a valid photo i.d., you might ask? According to Congresswoman Carson's own website:

VOTERS: Don’t forget your PHOTO Identification
You must present a state or federal PHOTO I.D. to vote on Election Day
The Identification you present MUST:
· Be a document issued by the United States Government or the State of Indiana (includes but not limited to drivers licenses, state identification cards, military IDs and passports);
· Show the voter’s name, and the name must conform to the name on the voter’s reg. record;
· Contain a photograph of the voter; and
· Include an expiration date showing that the photo ID has not expired or that it expired after the date of the most recent general election (after Nov. 2, 2004).
The Photo ID requirement DOES apply to a person who votes:
In person at the polls on Election Day or Absentee in person at the Marion County Clerk’s office.

Straightforward enough. I simply showed my driver's license and had absolutely no problems. In fact, few problems were reported at all, but the first to be reported...

You guessed it. Congresswoman Julia Carson. According to FortWayne.com and AP writer Ken Kusmer:

"It took one of the most-recognized faces in Indiana politics to create the first glitch for Indiana's new voter ID law.

U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, a Democrat seeking her sixth term in Washington after 18 years in the General Assembly, was delayed at her Indianapolis polling site Tuesday when the congressional ID card she presented to confirm her identity didn't have the expiration date required under the new law."

And she keeps getting elected. Over and over again. Sound like another Georgia Congresswoman? (See any article on Cynthia McKinney (D- GA))