Voter Photo ID
“Gov. Rick Snyder [MI] on Tuesday vetoed three election law bills pushed by Republican legislators seeking to require a ballot box affirmation of citizenship, restrict voter registration drives and require photo ID for obtaining an absentee ballot.”
“Groups opposed to a proposed constitutional amendment to require photo IDs for voting argued Monday to Minnesota's highest court that allowing the ballot question to move forward would set up a ‘voter beware’ choice. ... Lawyers representing the League of Women Voters Minnesota, Common Cause Minnesota and other groups filed a brief ahead of a hearing in two weeks...”
“For the first time in [NH] state history, voters will be asked to show IDs at the polls this fall, after the Republican-led Legislature overturned a veto from Gov. John Lynch on Wednesday.”
“New Hampshire’s Democratic governor vetoed a voting law passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature today, saying it ‘would put into place a photo identification system that is far more restrictive than necessary.’”
“The City of St. Paul has filed an amicus brief that argues against the proposed Voter ID constitutional amendment as part of a case that will be heard by the state Supreme Court. The city questions the legality of the language in the constitutional amendment...”
“Michigan is poised to become the latest state to pass harsh new restrictions on voting. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled House passed three laws...”
“Aggie Leitheiser, president of the St. Louis Park chapter of the League of Women Voters, applauded Council's decision.”
“[MN] Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a DFLer who has campaigned against the photo ID requirement for voting passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, said Thursday he will not defend the language of the proposed constitutional amendment in a court challenge that names him as the defendant.”
“Allegheny County Democrats said on Friday they're determined to overturn Pennsylvania's GOP-backed voter identification law because they think it will make it harder for poor, minority and elderly voters without IDs to cast a ballot.”
As I wrote earlier this week, I was in Wisconsin on Tuesday to observe the recall election. It was a long day, but very exciting to bear witness to democracy at work.