Legislation that would require Iowa voters to show identification at the polls doesn’t have enough money committed to it and will burden local governments, according to top Iowa elections officials. The concern from some members of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors came as the Republican-controlled House had formal debate yesterday over Secretary of State Paul Pate’s voter ID bill. Some Democrats argued the proposal would suppress voter turnout, while one GOP lawmaker compared future voting under the proposed bill to checking out from an express lane at the grocery store. As lawmakers argued over the legislation, county auditors at the Capitol earlier in the day questioned the available funding. The bill doesn’t have a formal price tag, though the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency, using details provided by Pate’s staff, estimated the measure has a one-time fiscal impact of roughly $200,000 for the secretary of state’s office. That includes $85,000 for state-issued IDs for people without Iowa driver’s licenses.
The Iowa State Association of County Auditors, or ISACA, is registered against the bill. Pate has strongly defended the measure, arguing it will improve elections technology and maintain voter integrity. There’s little evidence of fraudulent voting in Iowa, which is known nationally for its high voter participation.
Republican Rep. Ken Rizer, the bill’s floor manager who made the grocery store comparison, indicated the Legislature may use general fund money for some of the expenses.
“I am 100 percent sure that if we pass this bill, we will find the money to fund those new voter registration cards,” he said.
Full Article: Auditors question cost of state voter ID bill – KWWL – Eastern Iowa Breaking News, Weather, Closings.