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Your Capitol Voice: Voting rights come with some limits
Op-Ed · March 17, 2017
This week I will focus my column on the recently passed Voter Integrity Bill.
This bill received a lot of attention from those who are both opposed and for the bill. I visited with many of you on this issue. In the end I voted for it. I have been crystal clear in the last four years that I favor showing a form of identification in order to vote. I want to explain why and explain what the bill does. There is an incredible amount of misinformation out there.
I want to start by recognizing that the right to vote is one of our most sacred fundamental rights. The right to vote is mentioned more in our Constitution than any other right. It is a right, however, that does not come without limits. For instance, you have to be 18 years old, an American citizen, an Iowa citizen, and either a non-felon or a felon who has had his/her rights restored.
I want to make one point very clear. Showing your ID in the voting process is NOT new to Iowa.
When Democrats controlled the Governorship and Legislature (2007-2010), they enacted a Photo Identification law that is still on the books. Democrats enacted same-day registration in Iowa and REQUIRED an ID be shown.
That bill was supported by the ALCU and the League of Women Voters. In the 10 years since Photo ID was enacted by Democrats, not one complaint has been levied that its caused suppression of a single person’s ability to register to vote. I want to repeat that because it is very important. Democrats enacted Photo ID law for same-day registrants and in the last 10 years there has been ZERO evidence of voter suppression.
The bill we passed last week extends the law Democrats passed to cover everyone that votes. That being said, we recognize not everyone has a driver’s license or government-issued photo ID. Under the bill we passed, the Secretary of State’s office will send the approximately 85,000 Iowans who do not have an ID, a voter registration card with a bar code on it that can be scanned. Anyone who wishes to vote just needs to bring their card with them to the polls and they do not have to have an ID. Those 85,000 will receive their card for free in the mail and do not even have to ask for it.
Voter Identification laws are already on the books in 34 states. The laws vary from state to state. In Iowa’s proposed law, the following are acceptable forms of ID:
• An Iowa driver’s license
• An Iowa Non-operator ID
• A U.S. Passport
• A Veteran or Military ID
• A Voter identification card issued by the Secretary of State.
Indiana has language that is similar conceptually to ours and the highest court in the land has ruled it constitutional. In the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of Indiana’s ID law, Supreme Court Justice Stevens said “there is no question as to the legitimacy or the importance of the state’s right to count only legitimate voters votes.” Justice Stevens was one of the more liberal justices on the court.
There are two other components to the bill. HF516 implements the use of E-poll books to speed up the election process at polling locations and it eliminates straight ticket voting. Iowa is one of only 9 states that allow straight ticket voting.
Finally, I want to address the question that was posed to me: Is this a solution in search of a problem? I do not believe it is at all. You have to show your ID to get cough medicine at a pharmacy. Is voting anything less important? I have had people tell me there are no reports of fraud. Of course there isn’t because we have not been checking in a uniform way and in some cases at all. The fact of the matter is that 41 felons voted in Iowa in 2016 that should not have. There have been state races recently that have been decided by as few as 8 and 13 votes. Our voting process is too important to not proactively ensure its integrity to any degree possible. The majority of states do this and our “First in the Nation” caucus state, we should be taking the lead.
Capitol visitors: Mike Shuger, Wilton; Wes and Jodi Clemens, Springdale; Deanna Clemens Pedersen, West Branch.
Listening Post schedule: March 18, 9 a.m., Wilton Community Room
You may contact Rep. Kaufmann at bobby.kaufmann@legis.iowa.gov, 515-281-3221 or 1527 330th St. Wilton, IA, 52778
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