[EL] boarding plane without showing ID

[Craig Holman]

 Michael Hanmer's example of a DEA agent not knowing the legal options around a photo ID requirement reflects what would very likely occur at voting polls around the country. If there were a photo ID requirement for voting, even for a requirement "softened" by allowing other options for persons lacking a photo ID, many a poll worker would not realize there are other options or how to implement these other options.

As this thread shows, a photo ID requirement, even with back-up options, imposes unnecessary and overly burdensome obstacles to voting. 

I imagine few voters would be willing to endure to obstacles Justin described when he did not have a photo ID: 

"The TSA officer looked at my boarding pass, and then had me step aside for some additional questions -- another officer reviewed the documentation, and asked a bit more. Then I was asked to step through the (regular) security line, where my bags were screened, and an officer got to see a wholly unappealing backscatter picture.  The entire thing took about ten minutes longer than it otherwise would have."


 

Craig Holman, Ph.D.
Government Affairs Lobbyist
Public Citizen
215 Pennsylvania Avenue NE
Washington, D.C. 20003
TEL: (202) 454-5182
CEL: (202) 905-7413
FAX: (202) 547-7392
Holman at aol.com
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Hanmer <mhanmer at gvpt.umd.edu>
To: Josiah Neeley <JNeeley at bopplaw.com>; Jerald Lentini <jerald.lentini at gmail.com>; Justin Levitt <levittj at lls.edu>
Cc: Doug Hess <douglasrhess at gmail.com>; Election Law <Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu>
Sent: Fri, Sep 9, 2011 10:34 am
Subject: Re: [EL] boarding plane without showing ID


This is very interesting.  I just assumed photo ID was necessary for air travel.  





I can add a recent story on interpretation of the rules mattering from my trip 

to APSA from Dulles airport.  The person in front of me was a DEA employee who 

showed a DEA issued photo ID to the TSA agent.  This person was then asked by 

the TSA agent for a driver's license because he said the DEA ID didn't have an 

expiration date.  The DEA employee reminded him that it was a government issued 

photo ID and pointed him to the expiration date on the ID.  The TSA agent 

insisted that the driver's license was necessary, and said that he doesn't make 

the rules he just follows them.  The DEA employee produced a driver's license 

and went through. Of course, this is just one example.



>>> Josiah Neeley <JNeeley at bopplaw.com> 9/9/2011 10:01 AM >>>

I'm trying to imagine what would happen if someone proposed a similar sort of 

"accommodation" for people who show up to vote without a photo ID. 

________________________________________

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] 

on behalf of Justin Levitt [levittj at lls.edu] 

Sent: Friday, September 09, 2011 6:55 AM

To: Jerald Lentini

Cc: Doug Hess; Election Law

Subject: Re: [EL] boarding plane without showing ID



When I walked into the airport Wednesday night, I did not have photo ID (either 

govt-issued or not) in my wallet. At the risk of too much sharing, here's what I 

did have: two credit cards, firing range card, health insurance card, blood 

donor card, coffee shop frequent visitor card, and a few business cards. I was 

also carrying a checkbook. But no photos. 



The TSA officer looked at my boarding pass, and then had me step aside for some 

additional questions -- another officer reviewed the documentation, and asked a 

bit more. Then I was asked to step through the (regular) security line, where my 

bags were screened, and an officer got to see a wholly unappealing backscatter 

picture.  The entire thing took about ten minutes longer than it otherwise would 

have. And worked exactly as it was supposed to. This wasn't a parlor trick ... 

it was policy.



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