Photo ID for Voters
Election laws try to strike a balance between voter accessibility and election safeguards. With no history of voter impersonation in Minnesota and some of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, it is clear that our current procedures serve us well. MPP believes the very limited benefits of a photo identification law are simply not worth the cost of excluding eligible citizens from participating in our democracy.
Photo ID requirements for voters are costly, harmful, and unncessary.
Harmful
The State of Minnesota estimates that at least 144,417 citizens lack a photo ID and would need to obtain one before being able to vote at the polls again. Elderly, disabled, low-income, minority and young voters would be disporportionately impacted. Though the state would provide a free ID, it would not cover costs of transportation or the expense of getting appropriate documentation, such as a birth certificate.
Unncessary
Minnesota has had no cases of voter impersonation, which is the only kind of fraud that a government-issued photo ID would prevent. A 2010 report on voter fraud in Minnesota’s 2008 election found that the only convictions for voter fraud were due to felons voting. However, a person’s criminal status is not indicated on government-issued identification.
Two statewide recounts in Minnesota (2008 and 2010) in which legal teams scruitized all aspects of the election system proved that our elections are free from fraud. When asked about illegal voting in Minnesota and if there was a need for further action by law enforcement or the legislature, Senator Norm Coleman’s lead attorney in the 2008 recount said no, and added that “…If you learn anything about the system, it’s transparent, it’s remarkably thorough...”
Costly
State and local election costs would rise significantly if a photo ID law were enacted. Costs include providing free ID cards to those who need them, creating a federally required provisional balloting system, educating citizens and elections staff about the photo ID requirement and provisional balloting system, and increasing the number of election judges at the polls on Election Day.
