Minnesota: Kiffmeyer optimistic Minnesota voter ID bill will pass | Minnesota Public Radio News

The chief House sponsor of a bill to require a photo ID for voting in Minnesota said Monday she expects the Legislature to pass it soon — and that supporters are likely to bring the issue directly to voters if Gov. Mark Dayton vetoes it.

“That is absolutely still an option,” said Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, the bill’s chief sponsor and Minnesota’s former secretary of state. Dayton, while not directly threatening to veto, has raised concerns about the bill, which critics have openly feared could make voting more difficult for senior citizens, college students and other young people who change addresses frequently, and new citizens.

Minnesota: Minnesota Photo ID bill clears House committee, inches toward vote | Minnesota Public Radio News

A House committee approved a bill Thursday that would require people to show a photo ID before they can vote, and with Republicans in control in the Legislature, the bill has a stronger chance of passing than in years past.

Despite Republicans in the Minnesota House and Senate looking at significant spending cuts to erase the state’s $5 billion projected budget deficit, the voter ID bill appears to be one area where they’re willing to spend more money.

Minnesota: St. Louis County Minnesota Board to debate need for voter ID cards | Duluth News Tribune

Steve O'Neil

St. Louis County Board Chairman Steve O'Neil

St. Louis County commissioners will weigh in on the national battle of voter identification cards today when they consider a resolution opposing a proposed state law requiring photo voter ID cards. Legislation has advanced in St. Paul this session that would require anyone voting in Minnesota to have a special voter ID card if they don’t have a valid driver’s license with their current address.

The issue hits home for the County Board because counties, towns and cities could have to foot the bill under the state proposal, board chairman Steve O’Neil said. The Duluth City Council last month passed a similar resolution opposing the voter card legislation. O’Neil, who introduced the resolution, said the card requirement will disenfranchise poor voters and cost county property taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars “to solve an imaginary problem.”

Minnesota: Minnesota Secretary of State Ritchie goes to Washington to talk elections

One advantage to having a high-profile recount in two straight elections: Minnesota’s voting systems have been scrutinized more than most. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, who presided over both the 2008 Senate and 2010 governor recounts, testified Thursday about the state’s voting system at a congressional hearing on improving elections.

Ritchie was one of two Secretaries of State asked to testify by the House Administration Committee. The hearing was held to examine “what went right and what went wrong” in the midterm elections, with House members most interested in ways to cut down on fraudulent voting. Calling Minnesota’s elections the “best system in the country,” Ritchie said it was important not to wait until after an election to invest in fixing problems.

Minnesota: ‘Photo ID’ backers get an e-mail scare | StarTribune.com

Backers of the “photo ID” voter legislation got a bit of a scare last week. The bill, which would require voters to show photo identification when they vote, was pronounced nearly dead by a group that had championed it.

“Internal Republican politics may ultimately kill 21st Century Voter ID,” screamed an e-mail alert from Minnesota Majority. The photo ID proposals originally were projected to cost $60 million because of weighty mandates that would require precincts to have electronic verification systems, making the bills a hard sell.

Minnesota: Minnesota Voter ID bill would cost state many millions | MinnPost.com

Voter ID bills introduced early in the legislative session have languished for many reasons, but they might be mostly burdened by their potential costs. We wrote about some feared costs before, particularly as they apply to proposed electronic pollbooks.

Now, Minnesota Common Cause and Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota have compiled a detailed review (PDF) of the costs of House File 210 — which requires Voter ID and institutes the electronic voter check-in system statewide — and House File 89, which simply requires photo ID for voters. Bottom line: $84 million over three years for H.F. 210, and $25 million for H.F. 89.