A bad sign for voters
A Times Editorial
Published July 22, 2004

Before entering the polling place in some Florida counties, voters have been confronted by a sign that reads: "Photo and Signature Identification Required." The implication is that they won't be able to vote if they don't have a driver's license or similar identification card, but that is not a full explanation of the law. In fact, registered voters without the proper ID are able to sign a statement affirming their identity and still cast a ballot.

Many voters, especially those who are elderly or poor, may not have a driver's license, and few voters have a command of election law. So the signs could discourage voters before they even enter the precinct. That is not the message Florida election officials should be sending, especially after the indignities of the 2000 election and the recently discredited attempt to purge felons from voter rolls.

Pasco and Pinellas counties have posted such signs in the past. Kurt Browning, Pasco's elections supervisor, still defends the practice, calling it a service to voters by reminding them to bring their identification - although it's a little late unless they left their wallets in the car. Actually, the signs sound more like a warning, similar to the kind posted on restaurant doors that advise patrons without shirts and shoes not to bother seeking service.

Pinellas Supervisor Deborah Clark said she has "trashed the signs" and is no longer going to use them outside of precincts, while those inside will mention both options. "If I feel that's going to keep even one voter from walking into the polling place, I'm not going to do it," Clark said.

Indeed, the purpose of any precinct sign should be to inform and encourage voters, not to intimidate them. Some of the confusion can be traced back to the Voter's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which by law has to be posted inside polling places. Under the list of responsibilities, voters are expected to bring proper identification (which does speed things up), but the list of rights states that a voter can prove his or her identity by signing an affidavit that is provided by poll workers.

In other words, any sign at a polling place that suggests there is only one way for voters to identify themselves is not only misleading, but also an inaccurate interpretation of the law. Such signs don't belong on precinct walls.