Comments on: Voter ID bill would make Minnesota laws most restrictive in the nation

By: Peter Larsen

Peter Larsen — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:51:38 +0000

Republicans are scared! There are more independents and democrats then republicans. So the word is suppress the vote any way possible. As soon as they get into office they try to change the playing field because they can’t compeat on a level playing field. Where are the confirmed numbers of overwhelming voter fraud??????? Hmmmm??? Republicans are the cowards in the back of the room, who spread lies and inuendos so they can control each of us to do their bidding. I spit on these lowlife sub-humans who want all our money! The revolution is here and for those republicans who aren’t capable of figuring it out, just watch Wisconsin folks, they will show you what it takes to remove this scourge from the midst of our ranks!

By: Greg Ryder

Greg Ryder — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:20:57 +0000

Kudos, Jack.

By: Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:23:36 +0000

The GOP will die if it doesn’t stay in touch with real Americans and their wishes. The TEA party movement has shown that. Republicans didn’t trounce Democrats in this last election, conservatives trounced liberals.

The America I grew up in was built on pride and hard work, and responsible self-reliance. And when we cling to our religion, our constitutionally conservative beliefs and our guns it’s because we’re clinging to what this country was founded on.

And don’t forget, while we have to wait and see what party takes on the challenge of the Governor’s office, for the first time in more than a generation Minnesotans put conservatives back in control of both the house and senate, in St. Paul (without relying on the felon vote). The people are angry, and they have spoken. All over the country there was a gain of more than 600 Republicans, from state house to state house.

And as for a picture ID, what are you liberals afraid of, really? If it’s important enough for a person to get out on election day and vote, it ought to be important enough to go get a state ID.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:37:46 +0000

If you notice that when you go to the polls there is a poster size list of what is and what is not acceptable as ID. Some things listed: Utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck; none of these have a photo ID.

Around 90+% of the voters – at the Prescient that I work in – give us their DL as their form of ID. But if someone comes in with a utility bill we have to accept it. No Picture is required.

Angie said: “And just because you have acceptable photo ID, like a driver’s license, doesn’t mean you are eligible to vote. Lots of people have those who aren’t eligible so what good are they anyway?”

Angie we have a list of registered voters that we have to check against the ID. When someone is not on the list we have to contact the courthouse to see if they are in the computer. (sometimes it is a person that has changed their last name and did not change their voter information or someone that has moved since the last election and they are at the wrong prescient. And lastly if there is no record of the person ever registering to vote we have to go through a process called procedural voting.

So yes at the polls we ID. Does the ID require a picture? Not in Alabama.

Tim said, “which is to add another step in the voting process, slowing it down some more, making the lines longer, and thus discouraging voting, especially from working people who don’t have time to wait in long lines.”

This wouldn’t add another step – we have to ID and check it against the voter registration book. A ‘required’ picture ID would allow us to make sure Mary Smith is Mary Smith and not Jane Doe voting in place of Mary Smith.

When I vote I show my DL. I would object to running my ID through a machine to go straight to a computer for collection of data. But showing a picture ID – imho it would keep the honest, honest and make it harder for the dishonest to cheat.

By: Angie Robinson

Angie Robinson — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:12:16 +0000

“Who doesn’t have photo ID?” Well, according to the article, 135,000 eligible voters don’t. That is a very signigicant number, especially in a close election. Just ask Al Franken and Norm Coleman how important those votes are. If you have an ID that is only needed once every two years, what are the odds that it will get lost or forgotten on election day? It would be amazing if it didn’t get lost or forgotten. And how easy is it for those who don’t have one to get one? Not that easy if you’re working, don’t have a car, or are house bound. And just because you have acceptable photo ID, like a driver’s license, doesn’t mean you are eligible to vote. Lots of people have those who aren’t eligible so what good are they anyway? The whole ID thing is ridiculous.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:08:25 +0000

You do not have your facts straight. This bill does not require that everyone carry a gov’t-issued voter identification, it only requires those who do not already have acceptable photo ID (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t have photo ID?) to apply for a voter ID card, so your opinion loses merit because your facts are incorrect to begin with.

By: Tim Bonham

Tim Bonham — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:05:21 +0000

James Eckard said:
“system that if you have your ID and show it they could get through the lines faster and or easier”

But this would defeat the purpose of this law, which is to add another step in the voting process, slowing it down some more, making the lines longer, and thus discouraging voting, especially from working people who don’t have time to wait in long lines.

By: Scott Baker

Scott Baker — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:55:05 +0000

Isn’t it curious that the states pushing the most for voter ID are the red, or at least, purple states. This seems like the dying throes of a party increasingly disconnected from “real” America. As the country becomes more and more urbanized (last year was the first time more than half of us lived in the cities), it will inevitably become more sophisticated, which generally means more Democratic and open to the party of change – whichever party that is. Expect the Grand OLD Party to cling to its voters like it clings to its guns and religion and to try to disenfranchise everyone else.

By: The BRAD BLOG : 'Daily Voting News' For February 05, 2009

The BRAD BLOG : 'Daily Voting News' For February 05, 2009 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:28:06 +0000

[...] MN: Voter ID bill would make Minnesota laws most restictive in the nation http://minnesotaindepend…restictive-in-the-nation [...]

By: James Eckard

James Eckard — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:23:58 +0000

There are several good and bad things to requiring an ID. As an election judge, I think we should be moving in this direction as long as it is done right. However, we should start out with a voluntary system that if you have your ID and show it they could get through the lines faster and or easier, but still maintain the current system for those who may not have an id or just happen to not have it on them at the time and see how things go. There would/should be an eduction period so people can understand that this is to ensure only people who are eligible to vote can vote, and not trying to see or check on who people are voting for.
Good
1. requiring an ID would help increase the speed, accuracy and accountability of who has voted and where they voted. (while still preserving the anonymous nature of who they voted for).
2. proof positive of who can and can not vote. Minnesota ID’s already have a bar code stripe on the back. This could be linked to a computer system to allow several new things. Like the ability to vote at additional locations, have information showing who can and can not vote (like those who will turn 18 around election time, felons who have lost the right to vote for a time and also when they have regained their rights, people who have lost all rights due to a mental problems, etc)

Bad things
1. more restrictive, people who may have lost their ID’s or just moved to Minnesota would face a new hurdle.
2. Can be abused, by those in power and not allowed to vote without your ID.