Balance is hurt in this story by the reporter's failure to include comment from the defending party—the state of Florida—in the lawsuit brought by the voting rights group. Quoting Secretary of State Kurt Browning, who had no direct involvement in the case, was not sufficient. Still, the issue of voter identification is important, particularly in an election year, and Alternet seems to have picked up on a federal court's ruling that has otherwise been skimmed over. News reports on the case, Florida NAACP v. Browning, are scarce. The AP story below is shorter but more objective.

AlterNet does an excellent job accurately reporting stories. Voter groups are saying it will be a Rovian 'deja vu' all over again. And the the State of Florida was heard from in this article: 'Florida's top election official, Republican Secretary of State Kurt Browning, praised the federal court ruling.' A ruling by a federal court under control of Bushies. Who needs candidates debating issues with voter-rejection processes like this going on?

Residents of Florida who care about voting rights have a huge task ahead of them before the Republican-controlled State of Florida swings the deadline ax. AlterNet's reporter, Steven Rosenfeld, knows whereof he speaks when it comes to denial of voting rights, having written the very well-researched book about Ohio's denial of voting rights in the last presidential election. This article stands as a warning to Florida residents to get their registration corrected (if necessary) asap.

What would be both informative and interesting would be if a party affiliation was count was done on the rejected applications.