But with Voter ID they will be limited to only one vote per person!
Posted on 08/26/2012 12:48:18 PM PDT by rhema
It is bad enough that some politicians resort to falsehoods and scare tactics to distract and mislead the public. But when the issue is election integrity, and the politician is the top election official in the state, it has to stop.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie opposes requiring voters to show a photo ID before voting. Fair enough, we have a legitimate difference of opinion.
But he doesn't stop there. Ritchie is desperately attacking and falsely representing the photo ID constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.
Desperately, because polls show overwhelming support for photo ID in Minnesota. Falsely, because there is not one word in the proposed amendment to support his claims.
Now other Democrats, including Mayors Coleman and Rybak, Gov. Dayton and the League of Women Voters are spreading Ritchie's misinformation.
In his official capacity as the state's top election official, fairly including Secretary Ritchie's opposition to photo ID in the debate is appropriate, but he needs to recant his recent fabrications:
-- He wrote that if you lost your wallet "you would not be allowed to cast your ballot," and that election officials would be required "to deny the right to vote" to anyone without photo ID. False. That is exactly why the amendment allows you to cast a provisional ballot if you forget your ID, which is counted in the vote tally once you provide identification.
-- His office claimed almost one million voters would have problems
voting. This defies logic. Ninety-seven percent of registered voters in Minnesota have a driver's license, and the legislation requires free state IDs for those needing them. Other states with photo ID experience very few provisional ballots per polling location. -- Ritchie claims photo ID would "replace" same-day registration with provisional ballots. Nothing in the law requires this preposterous conclusion. In fact, same-day registration should be faster and more reliable with a photo ID.
-- Ritchie says verifying eligibility in the polling place on election day is not possible. Nonsense. The photo ID provides most of the information. And felon, guardian and incompetence exception lists can easily be provided to the polls along with the poll books. This is common sense. And if Secretary Ritchie is not already doing these things today, what does that say about the current (lack of) checks on same day registrations?
-- Ritchie wrote that election results would not be available for days or weeks after the election because of photo ID. Pure scare tactics. This has never once happened in any state with photo ID.
-- His office claims that every absentee and mail-in ballot would fail the eligibility test. False. We already have an eligibility process for absentee ballots that would satisfy the new law and was bi-partisanly improved after the Franken-Coleman election.
-- Ritchie claims the photo ID "system" would cost local governments millions of dollars and raise property taxes. What system? Voters just bring their ID. There will of course be costs for training, voter outreach and free state IDs. Well worth it. But nothing in the legislation requires local governments to buy new technology.
I believe photo ID is common sense. We need to remember the crisis of confidence in our election system after the 2002 Bush-Gore election. Congress' Help America Vote Act in 2003 and the Carter-Baker Commission in 2005 started critical election reforms. One of the important recommended reforms was requiring a photo ID coupled with voter outreach.
These reforms are advancing nationwide and should not be reduced to partisan politics. Photo ID is working in 16 states. Nationally, after numerous failed lawsuits against photo ID, not one single voter has been disenfranchised. In Indiana, voter turnout increased after instituting photo ID, largely because of the outreach efforts of then-Secretary of State Todd Rokita.
Voters deserve an honest debate about the photo ID amendment. They will be looking to our secretary of state to facilitate a fair campaign for this amendment, just as they would for any election. And, if approved, voters need to have confidence Secretary Ritchie will join in helping all eligible voters understand and meet the new requirement.
So far, Mark Ritchie has only resorted to outlandish partisan politics. Minnesota voters deserve better.
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, was a co-author of the photo ID legislation.
Minnesota should have voter ID and a felony check for each voter after the Al Franken election where he won on the backs of criminals that were not legally allowed to vote.
As Trailerpark Badass replied to me on a previous thread recently....paraphrased: The ‘rats know that if they lose the votes of illegals, convicts, the dead, et al, they lose 30% or more of their voter base. That’s why they’re having a fecal hemorrhage (sic) over photo ID here in Pennsyltucky, in Minnesota and elsewhere.
Despite some screeching, voter ID and now citizenship affirmation haven’t caused problems in Michigan and the state is moving to the right due to the lack of illegal voters.
Judge Frank throws out challenge to Election-Day registration
http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/2012/08/17/judge-frank-throws-out-challenge-to-election-day-registration/
Minnesota Leads the Nation in Voter Fraud Convictions
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minnesota-leads-the-nation-in-voter-fraud-convictions-131782928.html
When 1,099 felons vote in race won by 312 ballots
http://washingtonexaminer.com/york-when-1099-felons-vote-in-race-won-by-312-ballots/article/2504163
so you can cheat, MIGHT get punished...but your illegal vote will still count. Crime DOES pay in MN.
Meanwhile, you cannot enter this judge’s courthouse...without showing ID.
But with Voter ID they will be limited to only one vote per person!
I believe Ritchie is a Gerorge Soros disciple/plant, largely responsible for the see-saw vote count shenanigans that resulted in Norm Coleman’s defeat for U. S. Senate.
Did I miss the 2002 Bush-Gore election?
Mark Ritchie is a friend of the Communist Party USA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up2y0UPXXQg
Mark Ritchie is a friend of the Communist Party USA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up2y0UPXXQg
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Ask Mr Ritchie how many people are getting into the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte without proper ID being cleared many days in advance.....
Certainly being able to PROPERLY vote is much more important than attending that convention.
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