(VIDEO) Downey Questions Ritchie's Photo ID Views

Speaking before colleagues at the Legislature earlier this week, Rep. Keith Downey (R-Edina) slammed Secretary of State Mark Ritchie over going before voters this fall.

"The Secretary of State has been out advertising in opinion pieces and in press conferences and in testimony before committees a bunch of inaccurate information about the photo ID bill," Downey said.

Downey pointed out a number of what he characterized as "misstatements" in Ritchie's op-ed piece, in which the Secretary of State warned same day voter registration would be eliminated.

"Members, here is real fraud by our Secretary of State by his own communication about the photo ID bill we passed last night," Downey said Wednesday.

Downey has previously been outspoken regarding the photo ID bill, noting he does not know of a single case of voters being disenfranchised in other states with similar regulations. Downey previously worked as a consultant in a number of states, helping implement statewide voter registration systems, noting he has some of the most hands-on experience with the subject among legislators.

"Nobody in the Legislature knows more about voter ID than I do," Downey said.

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