It would be safe to say Indiana's voter ID law would never have passed had the courts listened to someone like Ruthelle Frank. Great story. She never had a birth certificate and doesn't want to be forced to buy one either. From WPR News, this audio:
WPR: Tuesday's decision by a federal judge to strike down Wisconsin's voter ID law was a victory for plaintiff Ruthelle Frank, an elderly woman from Brokaw who was propelled into the national limelight after refusing to get a birth certificate.
Frank, who is 86 years old, is being hailed by some as a civil rights hero, although she’s a reluctant celebrity. Frank has never had a driver’s license because she's handicapped. She never got a birth certificate, and was told that without one, she could no longer vote, even though she was an elected official in Brokaw. “I wouldn't pay up to $200 to get a birth certificate,” said Frank. Frank says she's happy with the judge's decision, and if the state of Wisconsin appeals, she will continue fighting.
“We're glad, and I hope we can march on further, as long as I can speak,” said Frank. Frank says she has voted in every election since 1948.
When I moved from Ohio to Indiana, I found that getting an Indiana driver's license was harder than getting a US passport
ReplyDelete