Thread: Voter ID proposal draws debate from Utah Legislature

Voter ID proposal draws debate from Utah Legislature
Published: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010 12:46 p.m. MST
23 comments


SALT LAKE CITY — Legislators debating changes to the state's voter ID law got an earful from concerned citizens at a committee meeting Tuesday.

The change would add Medicare cards to the list of approved documents voters could provide at polling stations.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Marie Poulson, D-Cottonwood Heights, argued that the current law disenfranchises senior citizens who have voted for years but no longer have current forms of ID.

AARP representative Laura Polacheck said the proposal would help seniors 80 years old and older who may have difficulty obtaining another form of ID.

"We want to encourage people to come out and vote, not create barriers," she said.

Several lawmakers expressed concerns about the document's security, and Utah Eagle Forum representative Maryann Christensen said the change could open a door to voter fraud by undocumented immigrants.

"We know illegals are living off Medicare and using Social Security numbers from other people," she said. "People have a right to vote, but we also have a right to legal elections."

ACLU of Utah attorney Marina Lowe countered by quoting a study that concluded there is no evidence of illegal immigrants voting in any substantial amount.
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"We have to ask ourselves if we are worried about something that is actually a problem," she said.

The bill passed out of a divided committee on a 5-3 vote.

— Josh Smith

www.deseretnews.com

All of the arguments above are so lame. The people will have a year to get some form of ID. I would rather lose a couple of votes, then have plenty of votes that shouldn't count. The majority shouldn't be punished for the few. Everyone should have some form of acceptable id even if they are over 80. We need to have assurances that people who are voting are who they say they are. My mom is 88 and she has id. Saying illegals don't vote in substantial amounts means that they admit they are voting. One illegal vote is one vote toooooooo many.