Okay, if you don't want to read a rant on State-issued photo IDs, then just pass this one by.... I can't promise to be eloquent either.

I've put off getting a South Carolina driver's license since we moved here in 2005. The longer I put it off, the more I am reluctant to do it since I really really want to go back to Arizona. But, getting a SC license seemed the fastest way to get registered to vote in time to vote in the January primary for South Carolina.

We got up way too early to get to the DMV. I was armed with my laminated birth certificate (a cool thing more states should do, though I doubt SC still does it---yes, I was born in this gestapo state), two Social Security cards (one with my maiden name, one with my married name), my Arizona driver's license and a copy of my electric bill proving residence in South Carolina. (The Social Security number was never supposed to be used for identification other than for Social Security [1].)

It turns out that even with all of this... I need my marriage license to prove my name change. I asked, "Even with my Arizona driver's license in my married name?" Yep. South Carolina won't take Arizona's word that I am who I say I am.

So, in order to pay this gestapo state to issue me a driver's license (and therefore be registered to vote), I need to unearth my marriage license. I can look at my moving database and discover which box it's in---I always note the "important paperwork" box with searchable terms for just this sort of stuff. I *could* fill out a voter registration application, photocopy my electric bill and send both in---but do I want to trust the United States Postal Service not to lose my application?

Yes, I really needed this gestapo crap this week.... *sigh*