On Election Day 2012, voters are charged with a very important task.
Not only will they be casting their vote for local, state and national races for government office, but also in favor or opposition of a constitutional amendment regarding the need for photo identification for future elections.
If passed, the state's Constitution would be amended to state that a valid Minnesota ID must be presented to election officials in order to vote.
Voting "yes" on the ballot measure means you do support the changing of the Constitution. Voting "no" means you do not support the change.
Patch asked readers to share why they are voting for or against the measure. The following are submitted statements from Richfield and Twin Cities area residents who are voting "yes":
Mike McLean of Richfield:
I definitely plan on voting Yes. You could have known that up until two weeks ago when someone removed my “Vote Yes” sign ...
I'm assuming that either someone wanted the sign for their yard or maybe just disagreed with my opinion.
Not only would I like to see voter id passed, I would also like to see all voters be required to pass a test showing that they display at least a minimal knowledge on politics.
That might have prevented people like my sister who voted for Mark Dayton because "They always had nice stores".
Reed Bornholdt of Richfield:
It’s a matter of how much we value our right to vote. It is vitally important to our country’s future that each eligible citizen is afforded the opportunity to express his/her opinion at the polls. It is equally important that the eligibility of each citizen is verified prior to his/her casting a vote. Presentation of a valid photo ID is a reasonable verification requirement. There are very few transactions in our world that do not require presentation of a photo ID … obtaining a library card, boarding a plane, donating blood, purchasing alcohol, voting at a union convention, collecting food stamps … to name but a few.
Today, if a “disenfranchised” citizen does not possess a photo ID, the taxpayers of Minnesota will provide one free of charge. If this citizen chooses to not make arrangements to acquire a photo ID prior to an election, he/she has made the choice to not participate.
Opponents cite the horrific cost impact to taxpayers (some say up to $50 million) of implementing a new system. There will obviously be a cost to implement new ID scanners; the amount is debatable. But even if it is $50 million, why is there no outrage over spending $70 million over budget for the new Lowry Bridge … let alone dozens of other projects?
We need to know the identity of every voter.
I will vote in favor of the amendment.
Julie Deitering of Minnetonka:
I think everyone should have to prove who they are to vote. ID s are free from the state. One could run around the state and vote several times and no one checks as of today.
Want to weigh-in? Leave a comment below.
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Other releated articles:
- Minnesota Marriage Amendment: Why I'm Voting 'No'
- Minnesota Marriage Amendment: Why I'm Voting 'Yes'
- Minnesota Voter ID Amendment: Why I'm Voting 'No'
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We do not know how this will be implemented because we have zero solid about what the law will look like, PLUS we don't even know who will be in the legislature to write the law after this election. Besides -- the biggest voter fraud is the candidates, themselves! The republicrats all work for the same special interests, which is why nothing changes with whoever the puppet in power is.