Advocacy groups on Thursday assailed a voter ID law being proposed in the Legislature as unnecessary and unconstitutional. “Not only would many Nebraskans’ constitutional right to vote be limited if the voter ID bill were to be passed, taxpayer dollars would be wasted trying to prevent a problem which doesn’t exist,” said Amy Miller, legal director for the Nebraska chapter of the ACLU in testimony before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. The committee discussed three measures by Omaha Sen. Bob Krist that are part of a Voter Integrity Project being touted by Secretary of State John Gale. The one (LB662) that caught the ACLU’s attention is aimed at increasing the integrity of the election process by addressing two areas that are at higher risk for potential fraud, Krist said.
Among other things, the bill would amend current identification requirements for first-time voters who register by mail. Now, the law lists several forms of acceptable identification, including utility bills and bank statements.
“As these types of documents are more easily altered or forged, LB662 would eliminate such items as appropriate identification for first-time voters that register by mail,” Krist said. “Various forms of government identification documents from federal, state or local agencies containing the applicant’s name and address would still be allowed.”
Miller would have none of it. “Proponents have yet to demonstrate that voter fraud is a major issue in Nebraska,” she said. “Nebraska has a long tradition of allowing people to define residence with minimal interference from government.
Full Article: Advocacy groups assail voter ID proposal.