I can not remember. But I do remember that that was full cost. Tracking down backing documents, And fees to have them printed/corrected to match name changes. Fees to travel long distance to get to a seldom open office that’s the only accessible place that issues ids etc. It’s illegal/unconsititutional to only accept ids that cost money. As that’s too obviously a poll tax. So common practice is to make the free id very difficult to get and load up fees and costs on the things neccisary to get one.
Ignorance is likely less of a problem than people think. Even the informed and educated are subject to confirmation bias and misinformation. That’s why the “rubes and hillbillies” argument is so dumb.
You hardly have to be uneducated and rural to buy into a hopelessly unrealistic interpretation of things. So less of an “ignorance” problem than an ideological bias problem. Different but perhaps more concerning.
As for apathy. There a lot of research indicating that voter apathy is directly proportional to non competitive, undemocratic elections. One of the side effects of general electoral reform. Fair congressional districts. And all those well established ways of allowing for more turnout and easier voting. Is they tend to make things more open and competitive. Which drive turn out even more.
@hmclachlan
I have absolutely no clue what your on about. You may want to re-read the discussion. Where you might find I was pushing back on other people who were dismissive of “rubes and hillbillies”.
However important federal holidays were in whatever magic better days you’re thinking of. The fact remains that today. Despite all the social pressures you point to. Which are there and ratcheting up. Many, many businesses do not close. Many, many people are not lucky enough to have days off, holidays off, sick time. Holiday pay, overtime, or vacation paid or otherwise. Or other privledges we typically think of as normal or basic labor rights.
These people are often from the very same groups that are badly in need of better access to the polls. The same groups being deliberately disenfranchised. The young, The poor, The female, The non-white. The urban.
I myself went nearly 5 years without a federal holiday off. Though I was “lucky” enough to be seasonally unemployed in a state with plenty of polling places during the previous few elections. And this November election day happened to fall on one of my scant days off. I’ve just enjoyed my first Memorial Day and Forth of July not working with no additional pay in a very long time.
I’m not sure what “standard” you think I’m applying. Nor who you think it may or may not apply to. Not everyone is well enough off to take advantage of federal holidays, and that has always been the case. You won’t help people get to the polls by offering a benefit they have no hope of taking advantage of. Which is why it hasn’t worked where it’s been tried. It’s nice in addition to other policies. It doesn’t do much on its own.
