Photo IDs distract from bigger voting issues in Minnesota

Requiring voters in Minnesota to use additional government-issued identification, as proposed by a recent Minnesota Majority report, would not detract felons from voting.

A Minneapolis Star Tribune opinion by Dan McGrath, executive director of TakeAction Minnesota, argues requiring a photo ID to vote would only prevent voters from claiming to be another registered voter.

An editorial by Mike Dean points out felons in Minnesota have the same driver’s license as non-felons, suggesting the process would do nothing to point out a felon from voting.

What Dean says need to be done to verify if a felon is attempting to vote is providing more access to the state’s Department of Corrections database. McGrath goes even further, pushing for state Rep. Dan Severson to restore a person’s right to vote once a felon is released from prison. The lack of photo IDs in the state would also be counterproductive to requiring their use.

“National studies have estimated that more than 10 percent of eligible voters do not have the photo ID that Severson and others want to require for a person to vote,” wrote McGrath. “That is far too high a cost when a photo ID requirement would not prevent any type of fraud that actually happens, such as confusion around when a person with a felony is eligible to vote.”