Senate approves voter ID bill

The Minnesota Senate approved a GOP-sponsored elections bill Thursday that would require voters to show photo ID at the polls.

The legislation passed the Senate on a vote of 37-26 after two hours of debate. Supporters said the measure will boost public confidence in Minnesota elections, while critics claimed it would hinder some groups from voting.

In addition to new ID requirements at the polls, the bill eliminates vouching for Election Day registrants (with some exceptions) and creates new provisional ballots for voters whose eligibility is challenged.

Anticipating a possible veto from Gov. Dayton, bill supporters in the House have already introduced a separate constitutional amendment proposal that would let voters decide in the 2012 election.

Sen. Warren Limmer, the sponsor of the bill, said it would "bring integrity back to the state election system." Sen. Julianne Ortman said the legislation would "restore voter integrity, it will restore public confidence in our elections."

Asked by a DFL senator to quantify the election problems in Minnesota, Limmer noted the intent was modernization.

"I never ... justified this bill as a result of problems in the state aside from the fact that we need to modernize and the people of Minnesota deserve a system that is safe, secure and has the integrity expectation that every voter would want in the state of Minnesota," Limmer said.

DFL senators argued that the bill would create obstacles for seniors and college students, who often do not have up-to-date IDs. Some exceptions for those groups are laid out in the bill (see below).

"I believe [this bill] sets the state back," said DFL Sen. Katie Sieben. "Sets the state back to the days of poll taxes and denying the right to vote to certain Minnesotans."

What would be needed at the polls? Here's a breakdown:

Documents necessary to register on Election Day (proposed):
•A state-issued ID card that shows the voter's current address in the precinct and their photograph.
•A receipt for a new, renewed or updated ID along with an outdated ID from any state, passport, tribal ID or student ID.
•Tribal identification that shows a photo of the voter and their current address in the precinct.
•If the voter is a student, an ID from any state along with a student fee statement that shows the student's address in the precinct.
•If the voter lives in a nursing home or other transitional housing, a facility administrator may vouch that the individual lives in the precinct.

Documents necessary to vote (proposed):
•A state-issued ID card with a photo that shows the voter's current address in the precinct* and their photograph.
•A receipt for a new, renewed or updated ID along with an outdated ID from any state.
•Tribal identification that shows a photo of the voter and their current address in the precinct.
•If the voter lives in a nursing home or other transitional housing, they must present ID that lists their address prior to moving into the facility. This must be accompanied by a certificate of residence signed by the facility administrator.