State of Minnesota Governor gives undisputed reason for his veto of 'Voter ID' bill

From Minnesota Public Radio  |  Dayton vetoes Voter ID bill  |  by Tom Scheck  |  May 26, 2011:

Governor Dayton has vetoed a bill that would require Minnesotans to show photo identification to vote.

Dayton said in his veto letter that the so-called Voter ID bill would be an unfunded mandate for local units of government, that it didn't receive broad bipartisan support in the Legislature and that it would violate the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act.

Supporters of the bill said it's needed to prevent fraud at the polls. Dayton said he didn't believe voter fraud was a problem in the state. He also said the Voter ID law would not prevent felons from voting illegally.

In addition to the veto, Dayton issued an executive order that would create a task force to modernize the state's election system and work on ways to prevent illegal voting.

Nationally, Republican legislators are misguided, that there is a voter fraud problem during our elections.  Time and time again, the vast majority of voter's rights activists have conclusively stated so.  The reasons given by Minnesota Governor Dayton for his veto against anti-voter fraud legislation are not new to this continuing debate on the topic.

*UPDATE*: Project Vote issues a Statement following the recent successful passage of a strict Voter ID bill in the state of Texas.

"Your papers, please": Americans are more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning than commit voter fraud!

From a ThinkProgress article, which includes reader commenting -- for a short history of the century-long conservatives' anti-voter agenda in the USA, please read the article.

"Thursday, ThinkProgress reported that the Ohio House had approved the most restrictive voter id law in the nation — a bill that would exclude 890,000 Ohioans from voting. Earlier this week Texas lawmakers passed a similar bill, and voter id legislation — which would make it significantly more difficult for seniors, students and minorities to vote — is now under consideration in more than 22 states across the country.

Conservatives have said voter id laws are necessary to combat mass voter fraud. Yet according to the Brennan Center for Justice, Americans are more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning than commit voter fraud. And the Bush administration’s five-year national “war on voter fraud” resulted in only 86 convictions of illegal voting out of more than 196 million votes cast. Instead conservatives are employing an old tactic: using the specter of false voting to restrict the voting rights of minorities and the poor.

Below, ThinkProgress examines the history of conservatives anti-voter agenda:"

Remember, "voting turnout and activism means spreading the word!"

The Washington Post: Top Georgia court upholds state's voter ID law

"Georgia's top court has upheld a state law that requires voters to show photo identification before they cast ballots.
The Georgia Supreme Court's 6-1 decision Monday is the latest court ruling to conclude that the rules are constitutional. The decision found the 2006 law was a "minimal, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory restriction."
Georgia attorneys said the measure is needed to prevent voter fraud, but the Democratic Party of Georgia countered that state legislators have no proof anyone tried to illegally cast a ballot.
Critics have also long claimed the law creates an undue burden on the poor, the disabled and minorities."

This article, without commenting, is at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/07/AR2011030701519.html 

Thanks to Election Law for the link.


Remember, "voting turnout and activism means spreading the word!"

Maine League of Young Voters: State Senator Patrick and UM student gov speak out against disenfranchisement bills

"On Friday the Maine Legal and Veterans Affairs committee voted to send the voting ID bill to the floor of the State Legislature. UM student government strongly opposes this bill, that could keep many students from being able to vote.
Thanks to Dirigo Blue for this radio address from State Senator Patrick yesterday.
Senate Dem Radio Address 5 March Senator John Patrick (Democrat) by Dirigo Blue www.dirigoblue.com

'WEEKLY ADDRESS
Maine Democrats
26 February 2011
Sen. John Patrick warns of two bills that would restrict voting rights
Good morning. I’m Senator John Patrick from Rumford. Thank you for
tuning in to the Democratic Weekly Radio Address.
Today I want to share with you something I recently learned.
We’re under attack.
Our civil liberties are being threatened. The very rights guaranteed
to us in the Constitution are at risk.
As the Democratic Lead on the Veteran and Legal Affairs Committee, I
have counted more than thirty bills seeking to restrict our voting
rights and obstruct the electoral process. Today I’m going to focus on a
few that pose the greatest concern because in each case it is an example
of a “solution” searching for a “problem”.
LD 199  requires voters to present a photo ID in order to vote. And
another bill, LD 203  eliminates same day voter registration.'"

The entire weekly address and article, with commenting, is at http://maine.theleague.com/state-senator-patrick-on-the-disenfranchisement-bills 

Maine: How to contact your own State Representative and State Senator concerning bill LD 199 and bill LD 203.

 
Remember, "voting turnout and activism means spreading the word!"

Sun Journal: Maine bill would require its voters to show photo ID; in another bill, voters would lose same-day registration

"Maine for years has made voting as easy and convenient as possible. But casting ballots could soon become harder for some people under a proposal to require voters to present photo identification at the polls.
Supporters say requiring photo IDs is prudent to safeguard the state's election system. ...
But critics say the bill creates a barrier to voting — particularly for the elderly, young voters, the handicapped and homeless people. The law isn't needed because Maine doesn't have a voter fraud problem, said Shenna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union. ...
State Representative Richard Cebra, Republican-Naples, said he's sponsoring two bills in the Legislature that go hand-in-hand: the photo ID proposal and another that would require candidates for public office to provide proof of citizenship. ...
Maine for years has been known for its liberal election laws and it high voter turnouts. ...
Election-day registration could come to an end under another bill that would eliminate same-day voter registration and make people register in person at least a week in advance of an election."

 The entire article, with commenting, is at http://www.sunjournal.com/approved/story/993810

Maine: How to contact your own Maine state representative concerning these three bills:

• voter photo ID --  bill HP 176, LD 199 -- This bill requires that a voter provide proof of identity with photograph identification approved by the Secretary of State by rule for the purpose of voting.
• candidate proof of citizenship -- bill HP 27, LD 34 -- This bill requires candidates for public office to show proof of United States citizenship in the form of a certified copy of the candidate's birth certificate and the candidate's driver's license or other form of government-issued identification to the Secretary of State. 
• same-day voter registration -- bill SP 241, LD 797 -- Current law authorizes citizens of the State to register to vote on election day. This bill repeals that provision and instead requires that citizens of the State register to vote no later than 7 days preceding the election in order to vote in that election. The bill also requires that a person provide proof of citizenship to register to vote.  This bill also requires that a voter provide proof of identity with documentation approved by the Secretary of State by rule.  This bill also prohibits a municipal clerk from issuing a 2nd state absentee ballot to an applicant after a ballot has been returned by the applicant to the clerk, except for good cause, and stipulates that an applicant's decision to change a vote does not constitute good cause.

Remember, "voter turnout and activism means spreading the word!"

JournalStar.com: Opponents say Nebraska voter ID bill could disenfranchise voters and cost state money

"In the mind of Fremont [Nebraska] Senator Charlie Janssen, his proposal to require people to show photo IDs when they vote is a way to head off voter fraud and ensure Nebraska uses the "best practices" when holding elections.
But opponents of the measure (LB239) say it would disenfranchise some voters -- particularly the poor, the elderly and minorities -- who do not have driver's licenses by making them pay the $26.50 the state charges to issue a photo ID.
They say requiring people to buy a state ID in order to vote would amount to an illegal 'poll tax.'"

The entire article, with commenting, is at http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/article_c143b82f-541a-556c-ac3d-a94d62e0fc80.html 

Nebraskans: You can contact your own State Senator concerning bill LB239.


A hat tip to Voting News.

Cleveland [TN] Daily Banner: TN Secretary of State Tre Hargett cites people as culprits

"There were no comments while Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett presented a brief overview of his job — until he began talking about elections.
After his speech Thursday in front of the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland, a member said the voting machines used in Tennessee do not have a recorded paper trail and could be hacked in five minutes.
'I don’t think they can be hacked in five minutes, but there is no perfect machine,' he said. 'As long as we have people who want to commit fraud, they are going to find a way to commit it regardless of what kind of machine we have. Machines are not the culprit. People are the culprit'
Hargett said he is not convinced the machines can be hacked in five minutes and the state is moving toward paper receipts that won’t tell how a person voted, only that they voted."

The entire article, without commenting, is at http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/11657734/article-Tre-Hargett-cites-people-as-culprits?instance=homethirdleft

Tennesseans: The bill has already passed your State Senate; it is currently in your State House.  You can still contact your own State Representative on bill HB0007.

Nota bene:  The website of the Tennessee Legislature is very nice to use.

KOMU.com: Missouri State Senate Passes Voter ID Bill; It Now Goes on to the House

"A bill that would require Missouri voters to show a state, federal, or military picture ID when voting moved to the House Friday after passage in the state senate the day before. The bill would amend the state's constitution to change those requirements. Republican Senator Bill Stouffer of Marshall sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 2."

The entire article, without commenting, is at http://www.komu.com/KOMU/d7e2017e-80ce-18b5-00fa-0004d8d229cb/5edf8884-80ce-18b5-00cb-1881b7d6116a.html 

Missourians: You can contact your own State House Representative concerning House bill H 457.  I could not locate the full text of the bill.


A hat tip to Voting News blog from Verified Voting.

Weigel: Wisconsin State Senate Fails to Pass Voter ID Bill

"The gambit failed, for now. The Republican-only state Senate adjourned for the day -- after a 40-minute session -- without passing the voter ID bill.
The reason? Republicans had a problem. The legislation offered reimbursements to pay for IDs for voters who currently lacked them. That was a financial component -- that meant 20 senators needed to be present to pass the bill. There was talk of striking that component from the bill, which would have made it germane to pass by the rump of GOP senators. But failing to include the reimbursement would have inspired instant lawsuits -- likely successful lawsuits -- striking down the law."

The entire article, with commenting, is at http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/02/24/state-senate-fails-to-pass-voter-id-bill.aspx 

Hat tip to Election Law blog.

Rock the Vote: STUDENTS FIGHT FOR WI VOTE

"I’m Sam Polstein, an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am the Chair of Legislative Affairs for the Associated Students of Madison (ASM), UW-Madison’s student government. I’m also an out-of-state UW student who would be adversely affected by a proposed change to electoral law in Wisconsin expected to be voted on within days.
The issue at hand is Senate Bill 6 [news article], which is quickly moving through the newly inaugurated Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Republicans, with majorities in both houses and the Governor’s office, introduced S.B.6 right before the Governor’s controversial Budget Repair Bill became headline news. S.B.6 – or the so-called “Voter ID Bill” – is a measure that will make it significantly harder to vote in Wisconsin. Currently, an eligible Wisconsin voter can register at the polls on Election Day with a lease, bank statement, or utility bill that has their name and current address. Alternatively, under current law residents can vote if someone vouches for them. S.B.6, as currently amended, would eliminate the vouching process and require every voter to have a Wisconsin State ID/Driver’s License, Passport, or military ID. Student IDs are conspicuously absent."

The entire article, with commenting, is at http://www.blog.rockthevote.com/2011/02/students-fight-for-wi-vote.html

Wisconsonians: You can contact your own state senator concerning Senate Bill 6.

Hattiesburg American: Critics say Mississippi House voter ID bill is too weak

"A bill advancing in the Mississippi Legislature would expand early voting and require voters to show identification at the polls.
The bill passed the House Elections Committee [sic] on Tuesday and is expected to come up for a vote of the full House by next week.
A separate voter ID bill passed the Mississippi Senate in January. The two chambers eventually could try to write a compromise bill. Or discussions about voter ID could fail, as they have done for more than a decade." 

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20090203/NEWS01/90203030/0/LIFESTYLE/Critics-say-Mississippi-House-voter-ID-bill-too-weak 

Commenting is available for this article.

Mississippians: You can contact your own state representative [Google Document or webpage] concerning this bill.
Nota bene: I could not locate the bill text on the Mississippi Legislature website.


Thanks to the Hattiesburg American.

Verified Voting: GOP raises the stakes: Voter ID Bill Coming to Wisconsin Legislature in Dems' Absence?

"In a move meant to lure boycotting opposition [state] senators back to Wisconsin, the Republican leader of the state Senate threatened Monday to force a vote soon on a bill that is abhorred by Democrats: requiring people to show an ID at the polls. The push on the photo ID bill by Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (Republican-Juneau) is the latest example of Republicans pressuring Democrats in hopes of ending the standoff over the bill on union rights. Senate Democrats disappeared to Illinois on Thursday to prevent a vote on that bill, and they’ve been there ever since."

http://wordpress.verifiedvoting.org/2011/02/22/gop-raises-the-stakes-voter-id-bill-coming-to-wisconsin-legislature-in-dems-absence-jsonline/ 

Commenting is below this article.

Related information:
State of Wisconsin Senate bill SB-6 [PDF]; Relating to: requiring certain identification in order to vote at a polling place or obtain an absentee ballot, verification of the addresses of electors, absentee voting procedure in certain residential care apartment complexes and adult family homes, identification cards issued by the Department of Transportation, creating an identification certificate issued by the Department of Transportation, requiring the exercise of rule−making authority, and providing a penalty.



Wisconsonians: Your own Wisconsin state senators can be contacted regarding this bill; please include the bill number SB-6.

Thanks to Verified Voting for the above quote referring to an Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel article.

http://diigo.com/0d262
Quotes:

Election Law: The Voter ID Debate Comes to Kansas

• After this year's election, there's a good chance that Kansas will join Indiana and Georgia in requiring voters to have photo ID

The BRAD BLOG: The most important, most doable federal election reforms needed

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: The BRAD BLOG

Top Federal Election Reform Priorities

Blogged by Brad Friedman on 3/10/2009

A draft summary of what I see as the most important, most doable, federal election reform priorities for 2009...

Okay, so I've been asked on several occasions, since the election last year, what I regard as the top priorities for election reform in the U.S. of A. In hopes of keeping it simple, stupid, at least until I hear opinions on these back from you folks, here is a summary list of the most important, and most eminently-doable-at-the-federal-level reforms as I see it.

I welcome your thoughts, recommended changes, additions, etc. For the moment, this is not meant as a comprehensive list of all needed reforms, particularly at the various local levels. But it's meant as a list of the big ones, as I seem them, and the ones for which I believe we could actually find a consensus in this Congress sooner rather than later. Nor is this meant as whitepaper with arguments and details for each item. But hopefully most regular readers of The BRAD BLOG will understand what these reforms entail and why they are necessary, as written in this summarized, simple list.

After hearing from you all, I may post an updated version later and/or set these up on their own page, in order track legislation for each of them as they roll (or don't) through Congress. Here's the list...

Hand-Marked Paper Ballots For All: All ballot selections, in all federal elections, must be hand-marked by the voter, on paper ballots, except for ballots marked by a non-tabulating assistive device, as may be required to meet HAVA's accessibility voting mandate, one per polling place, for use by those who wish such assistance in order to vote privately and independently.

Fully Disclosed Hardware & Software: All electronic voting and tabulating systems (eg. ballot tabulators, ballot marking devices for optional use voters who wish assistance), in jurisdictions that may use such systems, must employ fully open source, publicly disclosed hardware and software.

Precinct-Based Counting: Ballots cast at the precinct are to be counted in a fully public, transparent, and verifiable manner at the local precinct level, with full citizen observation allowed by law, and results posted publicly at the precinct before either ballots or results are forwarded to any other location(s).

Voting Databases Released: All vote tabulation databases are to be made available to the public.

Full Transparency: All ballot counting/tabulation/auditing processes are to be fully open and transparent to any and all members of the public.

No Remote/Networked Communications: No voting system may have remote communication capabilities, infrared or bluetooth capabilities, or be attached to the Internet or to a local area network at any time.

No Internet Voting: No ballots may be cast over the Internet.

Disclosure of Federal Testing Processes/Results: All federal voting system testing/certification processes must be fully documented and results made immediately available for public inspection.

Outlaw Deceptive Practices: Deceptive practices (such as disinformation concerning Election Day, poll locations, and registration information and processes, etc.), voter caging (the removal of voters from the rolls without notification or process for appeal), and voter intimidation (eg. use of threats, uniformed officers at the polls, etc.) shall be outlawed. These laws shall be enforced and penalized as felony crimes.

Same Day Registration: Same day voter registration will be mandated for all voters in federal elections.

Ban Disenfranchising Photo ID Restrictions: Restrictive Photo ID measures at the polling place must be outlawed. Federalize the types of voter ID that may be required at the polls for federal elections.

Notification of Rejected Absentee Ballots: All voters are to be notified and allowed timely opportunity to appeal the rejection of their absentee ballots for any reason.

Make Election Day a Holiday: Election Day must be made a federal holiday.

Move Election Day to Wednesday: Election Day is to be moved to Wednesday. (Would likely require a Constitutional amendment - see this for a quick explanation of why moving it to Wednesday is a good idea.)

"Right to Vote" Amendment: Amend the U.S. Constitution to declare a federal "Right to Vote" in all federal elections.

Disenfranchisement a Felony Crime: The purposeful disenfranchisement of any legal voter, for any reason, by any person, in any election, at any time, is to be a felony crime. Each individual case of such disenfranchisement is to be prosecutable to the full extent of the law.

So what are your thoughts?...

[Original BRAD BLOG article accepts comments]

>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear >Shortened All Things Reform URL: bit.ly/dw

Swing states abusing law on verifying voter registrations

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: TPM Muckraker

Double and Triple Checking in Swing States Could Lead to Voters Blocked from Polls

By Kate Klonick - October 10, 2008, 4:01PM

As state officials scramble to rebut claims of voter purging and blocked registrations made in a recent report, they're also revealing their missteps. Officials in two swing states have admitted that they are double -- and sometimes triple -- checking new voter registrations, which could lead to eligible voters voters being turned away from polls.

In North Carolina, one of the states fingered in the New York Times investigation published yesterday, Gary Bartlett, director of the Board of Elections defended his state's handling of new voter registrations, claiming the BOE was verifying both drivers license numbers and social security numbers if new voters provide both on their application.

In Indiana, a swing state that has also had a large uptick in requests to the SSA for voter registration verifications, Matt Tusing, the deputy secretary of state and a Republican, told the Indianapolis Star that Indiana officials have been verifying the Social Security number on every card, as wells as running checks with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Correction and death records.

"Some states don't check against all those sources," he told the paper.

In both cases, that's far more verification than is required under federal law, and the superfluous checking of both numbers could lead to eligible vote registrations not being verified -- something that could disproportionately affect Democrats, who have registered in higher numbers this year.

According to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, states must exhaust checks in their own identification databases -- like drivers licenses and ID cards -- before turning to the often unreliable federal database with the Social Security Administration. Yesterday's Times report alleges that states like Colorado have been improperly relying on the SSA to verify voter registrations.

>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear >Shortened All Things Reform URL: bit.ly/dw

Important "voter ID" law is in the U.S. Court of Appeals

The Brennan Center for Justice provides legal assistance and support for court cases involving elections. They have filed an amicus brief in reference to a very important case pending in Indiana, that requires voters to present a voter ID at the polling place to be eligible to vote. The brief addresses voter fraud implications in the case, in opposition to voter ID's. Here is Brennan Center's story on where they stand:

The Brennan Center filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit challenging the constitutionality of an Indiana law requiring citizens to present photo ID as a condition of voting. In its amicus brief, the Brennan Center argued that impersonation fraud is an extremely unlikely and unsubstantiated occurrence that can be prevented without requiring a photo ID, and that the Indiana law fails to address more common forms of voter fraud. The Center's brief marshalled the best evidence on individual voter fraud and catalogued the practices in other states for preventing voter fraud without resorting to photo ID. On January 4, 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in an opinion authored by Judge Posner, upheld the lower court decision and found that the state law did not unduly burden the right to vote. Plaintiffs were denied a rehearing en banc on April 5, 2007.

On July 2, 2007, Plaintiffs filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari, which was granted on September 25, 2007. The Brennan Center and others filed an amicus brief in support of Petitioners on November 13, 2007. Oral argument is scheduled for January 9, 2008.