Editorials: David Rosman: Falsely identifying the Missouri voter ID bill | Columbia Missourian

A close friend of mine is one of the great advocates for disability rights in Columbia — perhaps all of Boone County. She recently started a discussion on Facebook concerning Missouri’s Senate Bill 3, the voter identification bill, which now sits on the governor’s desk for signature or veto.

My friend wrote that she may have to sue the state of Missouri because the bill could disenfranchise up to 300,000 Missourians. I praise her fortitude. Not many are willing to stand up for the disabled and poor.

Wisconsin: Voter ID bill will be costly for Wisconsin universities | WQOW TV

Rindo says it would cost the university more than $100,000 to replace all student IDs.

A bill to cut down on voter fraud could have universities cutting up student IDs and starting over.  Governor Walker is expected to sign a voter ID bill into law this week.

Voters would be required to have a driver’s license, state issued ID or student ID to vote.  University officials say efforts to make it easier for students to vote are welcome. 

North Carolina: Voter ID laws and limits on early take hold in many states | The Charlotte Observer

North Carolina lawmakers aren’t the only ones pushing for voter ID laws and a shorter period for early voting. This year 19 other states have considered new voter ID legislation. Another 10 have debated whether to toughen current laws. Last week, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed a law requiring S.C. voters to show a photo ID.

And at least two states have sought to shorten early voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Georgia just cut its time from 45 to 21 days. Florida could trim its by six days. The N.C. House last week narrowly passed a bill that would cut the 21/2-week early voting period by a week. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate.

Wisconsin: Senate president can’t gavel down truth: Wisconsin Voter ID bill is voter suppression bill | Cap Times

Senate President Mike Ellis, under pressure from Gov. Scott Walker and the out-of-state political interests that seek to game our politics, lost it last week.

The Neenah Republican was literally sputtering, grumbling “shut up” and banging his gavel in order to silence senators who sought to raise legitimate objections about the rush to pass a voter ID bill. The legislation in question was written by Washington-based political strategists with an eye toward disenfranchising students, the elderly, people of color and low-income urban and rural citizens going into the 2012 presidential election.

Ellis tried to silence the senior member of the Wisconsin Legislature — indeed, the senior legislator in the nation — but state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, calmly continued to outline the fundamental flaws in the voter ID bill. Ellis and his Republican colleagues may not have wanted to hear it, but Risser was saying something important, something every Wisconsinite should recognize.

Wisconsin: Getting Ready for the New Wisconsin Voter ID Law | WUWM

Wisconsin lawmakers approved a bill last Thursday changing state voting rules. Gov. Scott Walker says he’ll sign the bill into law this week.

The major new mandate is that voters will have to show a photo ID. People must also live at an address for 28 days before they vote in that precinct. And the bill moves up the deadline for casting absentee ballots.

As WUWM’s Ann-Elise Henzl reports, groups that had fought the changes now say they’ll now focus on helping residents navigate the new rules, especially in obtaining acceptable ids.

Editorials: Push for voter ID is a threat to turnout in Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Inquirer

Last week’s relatively problem-free Pennsylvania primary was the latest to demonstrate that requiring photo identification at the polls is a solution in search of a problem. People simply don’t risk prison time to impersonate other voters. In 2008, more than six million Pennsylvanians went to the polls for the presidential election, and only four were charged with misrepresentation.

So why did the House State Government Committee recently approve a bill to require photo ID of Pennsylvania voters, a program that would cost more than $11 million to initiate and millions more to run each year?

The county clerks responsible for administering the state’s elections say the legislation is a bad idea.

Editorials: Kris W. Kobach: The Case for Voter ID | Wall Street Journal

On Thursday, the Wisconsin legislature sent a bill requiring photographic identification for voting to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk. This follows the enactment of an even stricter law in Kansas a few weeks ago.

Drafted by my office, Kansas’s Secure and Fair Elections Act combined three elements: (1) a requirement that voters present photo IDs when they vote in person; (2) a requirement that absentee voters present a full driver’s license number and have their signatures verified; and (3) a proof of citizenship requirement for all newly registered voters. Although a few states, including Georgia, Indiana and Arizona, have enacted one or two of these reforms, Kansas is the only state to enact all three.

National: States Toughen ID Rules for Voters | Wall Street Journal

More states will require voters to show photo identification at the polls next year, as part of a wave of laws that will increase scrutiny of voters in next year’s elections.

Stricter voter-ID measures are moving forward in at least half a dozen states after Republicans gained control of many statehouses and governors’ mansions in November. The push is part of a long-running debate between those who argue U.S. voting systems are subject to voter abuse and those who say imposing tighter restrictions will disenfranchise legitimate voters.

North Carolina: Election Bills give 2012 edge to GOP in North Carolina | NewsObserver.com

North Carolina had the closest governor’s race in the country in 2008, and only Missouri had a closer presidential contest. Both went the Democrats’ way, in large part because of the unprecedented effort in the state by the campaign of presidential candidate Barack Obama. The Obama campaign had a paid staff of 400 with 47 storefront offices.

The effort included a major push to sign up voters early and get them to the polls – particularly African-Americans and college students of all colors. But the Republican legislature is intent on throwing a wrench into the Democratic machine to make sure there is no repeat next year.

Editorials: Opinion: Pennsylvania Voter ID proposal a waste of time | Centre Daily Times

Boss Tweed likely would have had a good chuckle over proposals in Pennsylvania to require every person casting an election ballot to present photo identification. The legendary New York City political boss knew a thing or two about fraud and political smokescreens: two things at play in regard to the legislation being considered in the state House.

Reducing voter fraud at the ballot box is supposedly the main concept behind this idea. If every voter has to produce a photo issued by the state of Pennsylvania or the federal government — don’t you just feel better already — there will be no doubt the voter is who he or she says they are.

Wisconsin: College students could be affected by Wisconsin Voter ID Bill | weau.com

A few college students we talked to at UW-Eau Claire say they haven’t heard much about the Voter ID Bill, but they say at face value, it sounds like a good idea.

“I think it’s probably a good thing, to at least show that you are who you say you are instead of having someone representing you or falsifying you and stealing your vote,” says new UW-Eau Claire transfer student Eric Wisz.

The bill would require each voter to show a valid photo ID with their current address on it. “That I don’t actually have,” says Wisz. “I think it could make it difficult, especially for college students and those who move a lot.”

South Carolina: Governor Nikki Haley signs South Carolina Voter ID bill into law | TheState.com

With music pumping, Gov. Nikki Haley signed into law Wednesday a bill requiring S.C. voters to show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, to cast a ballot. Currently, voters only must show a voter registration card, which does not have a photo.

“If you can show a picture to buy Sudafed, if you can show a picture to get on an airplane, you should be able to show a picture ID to (vote),” Haley said during the signing ceremony, surrounded by supporters and lawmakers who pushed the bill. Joe Dugan, chairman of the Myrtle Beach Tea Party, made the drive to see the signing and celebrate. “If we don’t have integrity at the ballot box, we don’t have it anywhere.”

Wisconsin: Senate passes Wisconsin voter ID bill, sends to Walker | Wisconsin Law Journal

The state Senate gave final legislative approval to a bill that would require Wisconsin voters to show photo identification during a ragged session Thursday, clearing the way for Gov. Scott Walker to sign the measure into law next week.

Assembly Republicans passed the measure in a late-night session last week. Republicans who control the Senate brought the bill up for debate on Tuesday. Democrats railed against it into the early morning hours on Wednesday, finally using a procedural maneuver to delay the final vote until Thursday.

South Carolina: The Voter ID Bill Faces New Problems in South Carolina | WYFF Greenville

But opponents believe the measure will suppress voter turnout. An estimated 178,000 voters in South Carolina don’t have a driver’s license. Those voters will be able to get state-issued ID cards for free.

However, in the middle of a budget crisis in South Carolina, there is no money to pay for it.

“So it could be that the first two elections may be very dicey for voter ID process,” said Conway Belangia.

Editorials: Kitty Kent: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Make Sure They Can’t Vote | Associated Content

In state after Republican-controlled state (now more than two-thirds of all states), there’s a tactical imperative high on the legislative agenda. No, it’s not job creation; it is, in fact, more

along the lines of empire creation. That lofty ideal of the “permanent Republican majority” is again enjoying a chilling resurgence. Under the guise of prevention of “voter fraud,” onerous and costly “voter ID” bills are in various stages of life in state houses across the country, reports the New York Times. In a few states, bills have already passed and are law.

Editorials: John Nichols: Effort to thwart Southern-style voter suppression necessary and appropriate | madison.com

State Senate Democrats used a procedural maneuver earlier this week to block the final roll call on the voter ID bill that Gov. Scott Walker and his allies have advanced in order to game the political process to favor their chosen candidates. The Democratic moves delayed the Senate vote until today, when it is likely that the Republican-controlled Senate will approve what can only be described as an assault on Wisconsin tradition of encouraging high levels of voter participation.

The wrangling of the moment between Republicans and Democrats has made this seem like a partisan struggle. But it is not really that. The Wisconsin Republicans of not too many years ago would have joined Democrats in opposing this bill. That’s because Wisconsin has a history of bipartisan commitment to expanding the franchise, not narrowing it.

South Carolina: Haley signs South Carolina bill requiring voters show photo ID | TheState.com

With The Black Eyed Peas blaring, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill Wednesday requiring people to show photo identification to vote, as opponents pledged to fight it through the U.S. Justice Department. Haley arrived at the bill signing with the hip-hop group’s “I Gotta Feeling” playing in the background, as Republican legislators and tea party activists crowded around her at the Statehouse.

“It’s another great day in the state of South Carolina,” Haley said to cheers and applause. “We are going to make sure we maintain the integrity of the election system. We’re gonna do it by saying, if you can show pictures to buy Sudafed, if you can show a picture to get on an airplane, you should be able to show a picture to make sure we do what is incredibly inherent in our freedoms and that’s the ability to vote.”

Wisconsin: Senate poised to pass Wisconsin voter ID bill | weau.com

The state Senate is set to finally pass a bill that would require Wisconsinvoters to show photo identification at the polls. Republicans who control the chamber hoped to pass the bill on Tuesday. But Democrats railed against the plan for nine hours before ultimately using a procedural move to delay the vote until Thursday.

Republicans have been working for years to pass the plan, saying it’s needed to fight voter fraud. Democrats maintain serious voter fraud doesn’t exist and Republicans actually want to disenfranchise pro-Democrat groups. Former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed the bill three times between 2002 and 2005.

Kansas: Realpolitick, Kobach style | Clay Center Dispatch

[Clay] County [KS] clerk Kayla Wang says her staff is dreading expected complaints the first election after Kansas’ new voter picture ID law takes effect. “Too many people are not going to understand what’s going on. They’re not going to be happy,” Wang said.

Why is it necessary to require all voters to present a photo ID to vote and a birth certificate to register for the first time or renew a driver’s license? No one has justified the cost and inconvenience of this nuisance intrusion into our lives to our satisfaction.

We can certainly see the political advantage its author, Kris Kobach, has gained from this. He scores political points with the fringe. The rest of us pay the price in dollars and inconvenience.

North Carolina: State Senate eyes NC voter ID bill – $3.1 million estimate | Burlington Times News

A Senate panel on Tuesday took a look at a bill that would require North Carolina voters to show a photo ID when they go to the polls to cast their ballots.

“I think it does ensure integrity in our elections process,” Sen. Debbie Clary, R-Cleveland, told a Senate Judiciary Committee. “It ensures that you are who you say you are when you come to vote.” Clary said the bill mirrors a Georgia voter ID law. … Clary said she did not have complete information on how much it would cost the state to implement such a program. She said preliminary cost estimates were around $3.1 million.

Wisconsin: Senate vote on photo ID bill delayed until Thursday | JSOnline

Senate Republicans gave initial approval early Wednesday to a bill requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls, but Democrats blocked a final vote on the measure until Thursday.

Senators signaled their approval of the bill on a voice vote, with Republicans who control the house voting for it and Democrats opposed. That vote came at 12:30 a.m., after more than 10 hours of debate, but Democrats used Senate rules to prevent the final vote.

Kansas: Kansas Lawmakers Spank Kobach On Elections Bill | KCTV Kansas City

Kansas legislators are refusing to move up the starting date for a proof-of-citizenship requirement for people registering to vote for the first time or to give Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s office new power to prosecute election fraud cases. The rejection of those proposals Wednesday by a bipartisan majority in the state Senate is a political defeat for the Republican secretary of state, who took office in January. It came after he successfully pushed for a law designed to combat election fraud, one he touted as model legislation for other states.

That law requires voters to show photo identification at the polls, starting next year, and says anyone registering for the first time must provide a birth certificate, passport or other proof of citizenship to election officials, starting in 2013, though a Kansas driver’s license will be sufficient for many. Kobach had hoped the proof-of-citizenship rule would take effect next year and that his office would gain the power to file and prosecute election cases in state courts — and didn’t stop pushing even after Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed a compromise version of Kobach’s proposed Secure and Fair Elections Act.

Kansas: Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach won’t end push to get voter ID requirements in place by 2012 | LJWorld.com

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Thursday that he’s not giving up on having a proof-of-citizenship requirement for new voters in place ahead of next year’s elections, despite the state Senate’s rejection of the idea.

State law already says that people who are registering to vote for the first time in Kansas will have to provide a birth certificate, passport, or other proof of U.S. citizenship to election officials. The rule was enacted this year at Kobach’s urging but doesn’t take effect until January 2013, a year later than he wanted.

Editorials: Our view: Reject plan to require Voter ID | St. Cloud Times

Despite no credible evidence voter fraud exists on more than a minuscule scale, Republican majorities in the House and Senate are pushing for a showdown on Voter ID, first with Gov. Mark Dayton this session and then with Minnesota voters in 2012. Dayton should reject this legislation, and Minnesota voters should do the same in 2012.

We’ve opposed such measures since at least 2006, and we continue to do so simply because if applied, they will discourage — yes, even disenfranchise — many more honest Minnesota voters than the dishonest voters they will supposedly catch. (If they even can catch people; after all, look how effective photo IDs are in stopping minors from mayhem or catching illegal immigrants.)

Rhode Island: Rhode Island Senate passes voter identification bill | Boston.com

Voters would have to show identification at the polls starting next year under a bill passed Thursday by the Rhode Island Senate. A driver’s license, a passport, military ID or a voter identification card are among the forms of identification allowed under the proposal. The bill would require the state to provide free voter identification cards. Those without identification could cast provisional ballots.

The requirements would go into effect for 2012 elections. Until 2014, voters could also use a birth certificate, Social Security card or Medicare card. The Senate voted 27-6 in favor of the legislation Thursday. The bill now moves to the House, where a voter ID bill has already been introduced.

Kansas: Kansas Senate rejects attempt to toughen voter ID bill; Schodorf says she feels guilty about ever voting for it | Wichita Eagle

A cantankerous debate to move up by a year a requirement for new voters to provide proof of citizenship failed Wednesday on the Senate floor, with one senator saying she was embarrassed for Secretary of State Kris Kobach and another admitting she felt guilty for ever voting for the state’s voter ID bill.

Legislators defeated a last-minute maneuver to concur with the House on a substitute for Senate Bill 129 15-23. That means people registering to vote won’t have to provide a birth certificate, passport or other citizenship proof until 2013. It also means that Kobach won’t get the authority he sought to independently prosecute allegations of voter fraud.

Florida: Senator Nelson blasts Florida state election reform | The News Herald

If Gov. Rick Scott signs recently passed election reform into law, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson says he will lobby for a federal investigation of the new rules. The sweeping changes to the state’s election code have raised skepticism from supervisors of elections and nonpartisan voter groups worried that the reduced number of early voting days, stringent new rules on third-party voter registration drives and new change-of-address requirements will disenfranchise voters by making the process less accessible. Supporters of the bill contend the measures are necessary to crack down on voter fraud.

The bill was signed by legislative officers and delivered to Scott on May 6 for his signature. Lane Wright, a spokesman in the governor’s office, said the bill is not a priority for Scott, who is intensely focused on job creation, and the governor has not decided if he will sign the measure into law.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Assembly approves voter ID, sends bill to Senate | JSOnline

The Assembly late Wednesday approved requiring people to show photo ID at the polls, putting the measure on a fast track to becoming law. The Senate is expected to sign off on the plan Tuesday. The move comes when drivers are about to have to present more documentation to get their licenses and wait longer to get them.

The Assembly passed the bill 60-35 amid shouts from a small group of protesters in the viewing gallery. “Welcome to Wisconsin, Jim Crow!” one of them shouted. The Republican-run Assembly quickly adjourned as the protesters chanted “Shame!” and were led out of the gallery by police officers.

Tennessee: Tennessee considers proof of citizenship for voter registration | wbir.com

It’s a big deal in town, signs scattered all over Pigeon Forge as voters take up the issue of liquor by the drink and a few city commission spots. “I think we may get 1,000 people to vote today, total,” Tony Rast, whose son is running for one of those commission seats said.

Even with all the hype, Rast’s guess of 1,000 would be just slightly better than one in seven Pigeon Forge residents who have actually gone through the process of registering and then actually showing up to vote on election day.

“Oh, just walk in. Real easy,” Rast said.