Minnesota Poll: More than half of those polled back voter ID, but support is down

[Brickbat]

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/170857591.html?refer=y

Minnesotans favor a constitutional change that would require voters to show government-issued photo ID before casting ballots, but their support has weakened dramatically over the past year, the Star Tribune Minnesota Poll has found.

Slightly more than half of likely voters polled -- 52 percent -- want the changes built around a photo ID requirement, while 44 percent oppose them and 4 percent are undecided.

That is a far cry from the 80 percent support for photo ID in a May 2011 Minnesota Poll, when the issue was debated as a change in state law. Support among Democrats has cratered during a year marked by court battles, all-night legislative debates and charges that the GOP is attempting to suppress Democratic votes.

Keep it up, Minnesotans! Talk about it! Write letters! Check out some easy-to-share Facebook stuff!

https://www.facebook.com/VoteNoTwice

https://www.facebook.com/OurVoteOurFuture?ref=stream

[PSPS]

1. It's easy to poll 'yes' when you already have an acceptable ID.

Public policy, especially the right to vote, shouldn't be subject to the whims of polls. It's not a matter for a plebiscite. What next? Polling the south and then enacting laws to ban mixed-race marriages? Legalize slavery? Each could easily be "backed" in some polls.

[Mnpaul]

2. Yeah it's down a bit

from that 80% number they like to quote.

[geardaddy]

3. That's good news.

I've talked to a few liberal-leaning folks who don't see a problem with voter ID. I've set them straight now though.

[dflprincess]

4. The tricky thing about this amendment is that is sounds so reasonable -

especially to those who have a drivers license or state ID. Fortunately, there are people who can understand that it's not so benign when the problems are explained to them.

[Mnpaul]

7. And what constitutes valid photo ID isn't defined

other than "government issued" and that will be their next problem if it would pass. They have to come up with something Dayton will sign with little time to do it.

"Government issued" is pretty damn vague. Tribal ID could be considered government issued. ID's from the "U" could be considered government issued.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I think it's hard for rural and suburban (especially suburban) voters to understand

that not everyone has a driver's license, but it does help to remind them that a driver's license 1) Proves current address only if the holder has gotten around to getting the address changed within two weeks of the election, 2) Says nothing about citizenship, since legal immigrants and temporary residents are allowed to get driver's licenses, and 3) Says nothing about one's prison record, if any. In fact, there is no ID in existence that proves that one has never been a felon.

[geardaddy]

6. Excellent points.

I'm going to use those the next time I talk to someone who thinks Voter ID is a good idea. Thanks!