No picture, no vote?

The closeness of the Coleman-Franken election has prompted Marty Seifert to come out with another attempt to require producing photo identification as a qualification to vote. A Minnpost article by Marisa Helms [which also addresses other election matters] notes that Seifert and the House GOP consider the matter high-priority and says that his caucus will “push the envelope” for this “simple reform.”

Of course, the fact that this requirement would be so simple and would be hardest on people who are less affluent and who move with the most frequency would certainly not be in the mind of somebody as fair-minded as Mr. Seifert. I am certain that he would consider this pure coincidence.

He also notes that one has to show an ID to get on an airplane or buy a beer. While I am not sure that I agree with that even that amount of personal invasion, it should be noted that traveling and drinking and participating in our civic, governmental processes are different things and rally cannot be compared. We have no law now which requires the possession of identification and we should all be concerned that as we demand photo identification for ever more things that we are approaching the time when we will find ourselves having to carry internal passports, something the libertarian faction of any party must shudder about.

It should be noted that until about a quarter century ago that a voter’s registration card was present at each precinct and the judges had the opportunity to check the voter’s signature with the signature on the card. I do not know why that safeguard was ceased and I know that if used that it would likely have different results than photo ID, but it seems that it could address some of Seifert’s concerns and not require the presentation of the ID card.

But we know that everybody’s concerns about fairness in election depends on perspective.

There will be another post soon on one of the possible sources for abuse that DFL people seem to like.

Earlier posts on Marty Seifert can be seen by clicking the label "Marty Seifert." Two posts of interest are

http://ccmusings.blogspot.com/2008/03/well-now-we-know-how-much-time.html [3/3/08]

and

http://ccmusings.blogspot.com/2008/03/rosario-seifert-is-sir-punisher.html [3/10/08]