Reply #4: WA Republicans flex muscle to delay election reform bills

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From kgw.com:
03/12/2005

WA Republicans flex muscle to delay election reform bills

By RACHEL LA CORTE / Associated Press

Republicans in the Democrat-controlled Senate used their limited power to hold up a vote on two election reform bills Friday in hopes of adding several amendments to at least one of the measures.

...
"We want to give the other side the opportunity to negotiate in good faith," said Senate elections chairman Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup. "We've crossed all those roads, and now it's time to bring it to an end."

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Republicans have introduced a flurry of amendments on a series of election reform bills that started to hit the floor last week. Monday was the first day the GOP had any success, winning approval of four amendments to a bill intended to enhance voter registration record-keeping.

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Kastama said that although he agrees with some of the amendments the Republicans have brought forth, some go too far, such as requiring photo identification at the polls or requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

"We don't want to damn the whole system," he said. "We want to correct it. That's what I'm trying to do. I think some people are doing more than correcting the system. They could disenfranchise voters."

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