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803.530.2550

109 Sommerford Ct.

Lexington, SC 29072

Paid for by Todd Atwater for House

At Least 950 Dead People Vote

As you may know, last year South Carolina passed a law requiring voters to show a picture identification at the polls. Under the provisions of the Voter ID law, people in our state have to show a state-issued driver’s license or ID card, a military ID or a U.S. passport to vote.

In December, the U.S. Justice Department determined the law was discriminatory, said the state had not demonstrated a need for the law. It did this after receiving inaccurate data provided by the S.C. Election Commission according to a study by the Associated Press. The Election Commission told the Justice Department that 240,000 registered voters lacked a picture ID. Our DMV, doing nothing more than basic record-checking, found 37,000 voters on the Commission’s list were dead, 334 were registered at the same address, 25 were registered at the Sumter County jail, and an unreported number had Social Security numbers of 000-00-0000 or 999-99-9999.

This past Wednesday, the director of the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles testified that – after examining fewer than 10 percent of the state’s registered voters – as many as 957 dead people are listed as having voted. This is an incredible finding that not only validates the need for the Voter ID law, but also adds more fuel to the argument that the Obama Administration was playing politics when it rejected the law last month.

If a check of less than 10 percent revealed 957 dead voters, imagine what the final number is once the other 2 million records are examined.

The Department of Justice determined our law was discriminatory despite approving a similar and more restrictive law in Georgia.

South Carolina’s law even allows someone who does not have a picture ID to sign an affidavit attesting to who they are – something Georgia’s law does not do.

Opponents to the bill have repeatedly used the ridiculous assertion that the Republicans are trying to disenfranchise voters. They don’t make the same assertions in Rhode Island, where a heavily Democratic legislature also enacted Voter ID.

I believe voting is fundamental to our free democracy and it should be protected. I am simply trying to disenfranchise those who would defraud our election system.

In addition, I support Attorney General Alan Wilson’s intention to file a lawsuit against the Justice Department, and also support his calls for SLED to investigate the DMV’s findings. This is clearly an issue that will go back to the Federal courts, and Voter ID laws have already been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stop the regulatory insanity!

Regulations are one of the largest forms of hidden taxes and they are out of control. In an effort to confront the ever growing, twisted regulatory system, I introduced H.4575 that would have every regulation passed in 2012, and thereafter, cease to exist in five years. If the regulation is good then the department promulgating the regulation can bring it back for approval. If the regulation or parts of the regulation are not working or are harmful to our state and economy, they will simply cease. To me, this sounds like common sense. Sadly, too many will fight for the department and not for the citizen. This will be an uphill battle.

School Bonds for Operating Expenses?

This week a few of us conservatives decided enough is enough. We voted against legislation that would allow two local school districts in the low country to issue bonds for operating expenses. As Senator Ronnie Cromer has said, ‘this is like using a credit card to pay for a credit card’. If a school defaults on its bonds or obligations, guess who is left with the bill? That’s right – YOU and ME. We defeated these bills but I doubt that fight is over.

As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia.

Sincerely,

Todd

“I believe we need to get back to the basics. Our founding fathers had a vision of freedom from big government for our country and sadly, we have drifted away from that path. I’m running to help get our state back on the right track so small businesses and entrepreneurship can flourish. Tax burdens on our families will be lessened and our state will become a better place to live, to work, and to raise a family.”

Welcome to my Website

Site updated January 16, 2012.

I’m supporting Rick Perry for President because...

“Our country needs a leader who can balance the budget, reduce the size and scope of government and create jobs. I believe Rick Perry is that leader,” Atwater said. “He has a record of maintaining a balanced budget without raising taxes while limiting government intrusion and creating jobs. We cannot afford another four years of a plummeting

job market and

out-of-control spending.

We need to send Rick Perry

to Washington.”

Representative Todd Atwater