Voter Simplicity

The resident Republican columnist at the STRIB takes her share of shellackings from the left side of the Blogosphere, but Sean at Midtopia has cause for one to sit back and evaluate her latest effort:

Kersten does a good job of laying out the issue, and the solution -- some form of photo ID or provisional ballots -- seems obvious. But Kersten, perhaps because of space limitations, doesn't really get into what we should do. She mentions a bill by Rep. Tom Emmer that would require a photo ID to vote; but all she does is ask "Is Emmer's bill perfect? Maybe not." She does not get into why she thinks it might not be perfect or what she would do instead.

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The key is to have some sort of safeguard against fraud without raising undue barriers to voting. The electoral system hasn't collapsed with the current lenient rules, so draconian new rules aren't called for.

It is clear to me that the current Republican administrations are not interested in providing everyone the best opportunity to cast their ballots. But there is a legitimate concern regarding fraud and the ability for individuals to vote improperly, repeatedly, and/or ineligibly. Sean has a simple answer:

Some form of photo ID, with a fallback option for people without such an ID, should do the trick.

Seems simple enough. Make sure you have proper identifications, and if you don't we'll provide you an opportunity to cast your ballot anyway, while preserving the integrity of your and everyone else's ballot through some alternate from of authentication.

Besides, some people simply make mistakes:

Palm Beach County's elections supervisor has given Universal Press Syndicate columnist Ann Coulter 30 days to explain why she voted in the wrong precinct, according to a Wednesday piece by Palm Beach Post columnist Jose Lambiet.

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"Florida statutes make it a third-degree felony to vote knowingly in the wrong precinct. Lying on a voter's registration can cost up to $5,000 and five years behind bars."

Coulter could not be reached for comment.

WHAT, Ann Coulter at a loss for words! WaHooooo!! . . . . but I digress!

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