Downey: Nobody Has Been Disenfranchised by Voter ID

Having cleared both the House and Senate, a constitutional amendment requiring voters to present an approved photo ID card in order to vote is headed to ballots this fall.

Rep. Keith Downey (R-Edina) was one of the amendment's main proponents in the House, as he said outside of Mary Kiffmeyer—who sponsored the amendment—he considers himself one of Minnesota's most informed legislators when it comes to voter registration.

"Nobody in the Legislature knows more about voter ID than I do," Downey said. "Not a lot of people know this, but in my consulting career I spent three years helping states like New Jersey, Indiana and Wisconsin implement statewide voter registration systems."

DFL legislators argued the photo ID law would almost certainly block some eligible voters from the electoral process, creating an unnecessary hurdle to voting.

"How many eligible voters have to be denied the right to vote before this is a bad bill in your eyes?" said Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter). "What’s the number? Is it 10 students at Bethany (Lutheran College)? Is it five women in a Good Sam nursing home?"

Downey said he became so engaged in the discussion at the House because he felt his DFL colleagues were spending "too much time trying to convince us that people would be disenfranchised and lose their right to vote under photo ID."

"I find it very disingenuous on their part to throw out hypothetical after hypothetical after hypothetical, when they can't name one person who has actually lost the right to vote.," he said. "There have been a number of lawsuits in other states, but they were all tossed out because plaintiffs couldn't produce a single individual who couldn't vote."

Downey admits the DFL legislators proposed "some amendments that might make sense," but said those won't come into play until the enabling legislation stage. He specifically pointed to proposed amendments regarding provisional ballots and printing state license photos on poll books as sound ideas.

"They make a lot of sense," he said. "It just wasn't the right time."

Here’s a rundown of other bills recently authored or co-authored by your legislators:

Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina): 

• Authored a bill adjusting the house of representatives district boundaries within senate districts 39 and 49 and repealing obsolete district descriptions. SF2424, introduced Mar. 13.
• Authored a bill enacting the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. SF2476, introduced Mar. 15.
• Authored a bill modifying the definition of "student" for purposes of the statement of immunization. SF2477, introduced Mar. 15.
• Authored a bill modifying gross revenue tax credits and exemptions to include treatment of eating disorders. SF2512, introduced Mar. 19.
• Authored a bill modifying school district petition requirements for detachment and annexation proposals. SF2540, introduced Mar. 21.

Rep. Keith Downey (R-Edina):

• Co-authored a bill adjusting the house of representatives district boundaries within senate districts 39 and 49 and repealing obsolete district descriptions. HF2821, introduced Mar. 12.
• Authored a bill providing a Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy reform roadmap. HF2833, introduced Mar. 13.
• Authored a bill directing the commissioner of transportation to utilize a consultant to study pupil transportation efficiencies. HF2837, introduced Mar. 13.
• Authored a bill allowing provisional driver license holders to carry passengers when driving for employment purposes. HF2877, introduced Mar. 14.
• Authored a bill modifying school district petition requirements for detachment and annexation proposals. HF2939, introduced Mar. 20.

Rep. Pat Mazorol (R-Bloomington):

• Authored a bill modifying the definition of "student" for purposes of the statement of immunization. HF2880, introduced Mar. 14.

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