Birds on the Brain

kingvitolalpha:

This is a receipt for the payment of a Louisiana poll tax in 1917. The fee was $1 (which is equivalent to $18.14 in today’s money). This tax was meant to keep recently-enfranchised people of color, as well as poorer working-class folks, from voting.

Poll taxes, or any voting fees for that matter, were outlawed by the 24th amendment. But the new Voter ID laws being passed by republicans are designed to do the same thing as a poll tax. They require all voters to have photo ID on them when they go to the polls. But how much does photo ID cost? Well, It depends on the state…

• Alabama – $23
• Florida – $3
• Georgia -$20 for 5 years, $35 for $10 years
• Indiana – $13 under 65, $10 for over 65, last for 6 years
• Kansas – $18 under 65, $14 over 65
• Louisiana – Average $21, free for over 60
• Michigan – $10, free for seniors.
• Mississippi – $13
• Pennsylvania – $10
• South Carolina – $5
• South Dakota – $8
• Tennessee – $12.50. For those 65 and up, they never expire
• Texas – $15. 60 and up, $5 and never has to be renewed

*NOTE: The states in boldare where photo IDs are more expensive than the original (unconstitutional) poll taxes.

And yes, I know part of the Voter ID laws are that the states are required to give out free photo ID but…

• Republicans are trying to keep that part of the law hush-hush.
• Some people (including a 95 year old woman) went to get their free ID (which they were guaranteed by law) and were still turned down.
• And forcing eligible-voters to go wait in the DMV for several hours is just going to further discourage people from voting, free ID or otherwise. Which is bad for America, considering we have awful voter turnout as it is.

(Source: thesoapboxschtick)