Examining voter ID

Re “Voter ID law upheld,” April 29

The Supreme Court has upheld the voter ID law in Indiana, effectively requiring government identification before one can vote. Because voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens, this decision surely must mean that all IDs will be provided by the government absolutely free of charge. One cannot be required to pay in order to exercise a right.

Also, the government must provide transportation and compensation for time off so voters can obtain IDs. The government cannot deny rights absent some extreme circumstances, such as national security concerns. Maybe the possibility of electing the first black president of the United States is a national security concern.

Miguel Rosales

Glendale

Re “A vote against history,” editorial, April 29

As The Times editorial cites, during the 1950s and ‘60s, the Supreme Court did appropriately assert its right to strike down attempts to deny blacks their right to vote. But this is 2008, and recall how in recent elections there were substantiated reports of voter fraud in Ohio, East St. Louis, Florida and so on. (And of course there was the Cook County voter fraud in 1960.)

The Times’ stance that because there has been no evidence of voter fraud in that state, Indiana “risks disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters to fix a problem that does not exist,” falls flat.

William H. Smith

Palm Desert