Voting is a fundamental American right. In Minnesota, we value this right and are proud of our state’s traditionally high voter turnout. We go to great lengths to encourage education of our electorate and participation in our elections. These efforts should also include our commitment to maintain and protect the integrity of our election process.
The false voter registration and other unethical activities of ACORN combined with news of felons voting in Minnesota supports the need for a higher scrutiny of the electoral process and requires voter identification and verification at the polls.
Countless challenges, including the threat of litigation, have irrevocably changed the way we as Americans conduct elections. It is imperative that we maintain not only the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, but also the public’s confidence in that process.
Photo identification is the number-one election integrity reform. Lack of a photo identification requirement erodes public confidence in our elections. In its absence, individual voters are left to question the value of their votes among others that may be fraudulent.
Two states – Indiana and Georgia – have passed voter identification laws that resulted in court challenges. In both instances, judges have upheld the states’ measures. In Indiana, one judge wrote: “The purpose of the Indiana law is to reduce voting fraud, and voting fraud impairs the right of legitimate voters to vote by diluting their votes.”
Less stringent voting requirements lead to fraud and public mistrust. At a time when people do not trust elected officials or the election process, we need to work for election integrity rather than efforts that promote opportunities for nefarious election conduct.
Voter identification and verification laws protect the integrity of our elections and the foundation of our representative form of government. In addition to supporting a photo ID requirement, I will also work to eliminate vouching and reform absentee voting to not only guarantee integrity but to also ensure our men and women serving overseas – those protecting our electoral freedom in the first place – are able to participate.
I will support election integrity, fight efforts that lessen voting requirements, and make certain that you will never have to question the value of your vote.
