Capitol Review: Roseville's Greiling Calls Voter ID Bill Vote "Sorrowful."

Joining her 61 other House DFL colleagues, Roseville state Rep. Mindy Greiling thls week unsuccessfully opposed a Republican-backed bill that would have Minnesotans decide whether to amend the state consitution to require photo ID for people to vote.

As of early Friday evening, the Minnesota Senate was debating and considering a similar bill. If  the Senate passes it, the Constitutional amendment measure is expected to go to a conference committee to iron out any differences with the House bill. After that, the proposed Constitutional amendment  then could go  to Minnesota voters next fall to decide rather than move on to Gov. Mark Dayton. Last year, Dayton vetoed a similar bill.

In an interview Friday morning with Roseville Patch, Greiling said the House vote Wednesday on voter photo ID was "predictable and sorrowful."  Advocates contend the measure would prevent voter fraud.

But Greiling insisted voter fraud isn't a problem in Minnesota and supporters of the Constitutional amendment have not documented any cases of voter impersonation.

The proposed Constitutional amendment measure would provide a free photo ID if voters don't have a driver's license. But Greiling contended the paperwork to get the free ID could cost people as much as $35 to $40 (for getting birth certificates or other identifying paperwork to get the free state-issued photo ID).

"It's legislation that gets in the way of some people voting," Greiling said, asserting that students, senior citizens, people of color and poor people are the groups most likely to be adversely affected by such a Constitutional amendment. She added those are the same groups who often tend to vote for Democrats.

As such, the proposed Constitutional amendment is known by opponents as the "Voter Suppression Act," Greiling said.