Voter ID Debate

Should voter ID concerns in South Carolina affect how Minnesotans vote?

by Paul Tosto, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — As Election Day approaches, some voter ID movements around the country are feeling a push back.

Mississippi and Pennsylvania say they will put their voter ID plans on the shelf for the upcoming election as they face legal challenges.

The New York Times reports:

A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday blocked the key component of a highly contested state law requiring strict photographic identification to vote in next month's election, saying the authorities had not done enough to ensure that voters had access to the new documents.

Mississippi's facing demands from the Justice Department for more information, according to the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson:

A Justice Department request for additional information about the state's voter ID law means Mississippi voters will not have to show proof of identification when they cast their ballots for president Nov. 6

In December, the U.S. Justice Department blocked a South Carolina photo ID law, using its power under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Justice lawyers argued the law would potentially keep tens of thousands of black citizens from voting.

A panel of federal judges has been weighing the issue and a decision is expected soon.

The South Carolina question is particularly important. Many Southern states for decades used poll taxes and other barriers to keep black people from voting in elections.

Critics of voter ID laws say the restrictions are simply a modern way to keep people from voting.

Supporters reject that completely and argue that it's about deterring fraud.

But a lot could depend on the decisions made by the federal panel reviewing the South Carolina law.

If South Carolina's photo ID voting rules are deemed too harsh, what will that mean for the voter ID laws in 32 other states?

The question to debate: Should the push back against voter ID requirements in other states affect how Minnesotans vote on a constitutional photo ID amendment on Nov. 6?

Find complete coverage of the voter ID issue on our Campaign 2012 page.