JUNEAU — Lawmakers have begun deliberations on a bill that would require voters to present photo identification when casting their ballots, but one critic said the geography and ethnic makeup of the state would likely make the law unconstitutional if passed.
The House State Affairs Committee began discussing HB3, by Reps. Bob Lynn and Wes Keller, on Thursday. Lynn and Keller serve as the chair and vice-chair of the committee, respectively.
“Voting is the very foundation of our Democratic republic,” Lynn said to the committee. “To protect that foundation, voters must be who they say they are.”
The bill, as currently drafted, could pose unique practical and constitutional problems for Alaska due to its geography and large native population, the head of the American Civil Liberties Union in Alaska said.
Many of Alaska’s villages are located hundreds of miles away from a Department of Motor Vehicle or government office that would issue some form of identification — a challenge that Alaskans living in urban areas do not have.
“Because the changes encompassed in HB3 have the effect of diminishing the right of Alaska Natives to vote, this bill as drafted would not be constitutional,” Jeffrey Mittman, The ACLU state director, told the committee.
Mittman noted that the entirety of Alaska is covered under the Voting Rights Act because of its history of discriminatory treatment of Alaska Natives.
A 2008 U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that voter ID laws are constitutional as long as the state provides citizens the opportunity to obtain photo identification for free, according to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who called in to testify about his experiences regarding Kansas’ voter ID law.
However, Alaska currently does not issue identification cards for free to people under 60, according to Alpheus Bullard, an attorney for legal services for legislative affairs.
Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, said she has not seen any cases of voter fraud in which one person uses another’s identification.
Still, Lynn stressed that the absence of evidence does not mean that the crime does not exist, and that close municipal or state elections can be decided by just one vote.
“One case of voter fraud is one too many,” Lynn said.
The bill was held in committee.
Comments (29)
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I think more fraud takes place in the corporate/political world than takes place at the poles. Too many politicians are bought and paid for. Disenfranchising many Alaskans (native and other) is not hte solution.
I guess I'm confused. I
I guess I'm confused. I already have to show ID every time I vote...
ID for Welfare
Pass a law for anyone requesting Welfare or renewing Welfare that requires proof of ID. If there is actually anyone out there without ID they will immediately get it. Those so-called disenfranchised voters are all on Welfare anyway.
Life is simple being a ACLU hating, philosophically Libertarian, socially liberal, fiscally conservative, scientifically grounded, god fearing, gun owner who believes in self determination and voting.
Cost?
If the State has to provide photo IDs to the residents of every remote village for free, that will require flying into each village with a team of state employees and ID-making equipment, on a regular basis. Or alternatively, flying those residents out to larger communities.
Sounds expensive.
Whenever I see Wes Keller or Bob Lynn's name on a piece of legislation, I immediately know it will be driven by craven, ideological, partisan motives. This bill is no exception.
Just another no nonsense GOPs following the herd. So pathetic
“Voting is the very foundation of our Democratic republic,” Lynn said to the committee. “To protect that foundation, voters must be who they say they are.”
Just another no nonsense GOPs following the herd. So pathetic.
no problem
providing the State institutes a program at no direct cost to the voter, where they will go to all these remote villages to provide the residents an ID.
While I find no problem with the concept I do believe the idea that voter fraud is rampant is a joke. For when asked very few have ever show where there was actual prosecution of more than a coulee of individuals. So considering there are 150,000,000 million potential voters claiming these few fraudulent voters changed the elections is a stretch.
What I have noticed is a few states where the solution was to privatize the ID issuers. Which makes me wonder if part of the driving force is not the contractors rather than the problem itself of voter fraud.
"Once case of voter fraud is too many." That in itself is a political pile on foolishness. For we see our lawmakers justify not implement laws on hundred of issues because the number of instances where the law would apply are insignificant.
Not really an issue
I really don't think that this is that big of an issue. In order to get a hunting license, you need to provide an Alaska drivers license or some ID. Most rural folks would have a hunting license. You need ID for going to the bank, flying,etc. Granted, the extreme rural areas would have more difficulty but most folks already have some identification. Why should the State pay for them? If people want to hunt they find the money to buy a license.....
GJSmith,
You have to present ID at some point when applying for or receiving welfare benefits. Cashing a check, opening a bank account, applying for food stamps, etc. People without valid ID aren't on the government teet.
And I'm slightly confused by what I assume to be a summary of how you see yourself... You say you hate the ACLU but are libertarian. This hatred indicates you completely oppose the ACLU, while most libertarians side with the ACLU quite often although not always. Or scientifically grounded and god-fearing. This is obviously conflicting but pointless to indulge. And self-determination while still god-fearing? Wha?
Voting is important. Voter ID is not.
2014 & 2016 Alaskans we need
2014 & 2016
Alaskans we need to ban together. Lets vote out those pushing this conservative right-winged agenda on Alaskans.
"Lynn stressed that the
"Lynn stressed that the absence of evidence does not mean that the crime does not exist" ????
OMG! We have clowns making laws.
There are many practical
There are many practical reasons for requiring identification to vote that have nothing to do with liberal or conservative agendas and people shouldn't forget that you vote for many things besides just candidates.
It seems to me there are several ways to identify a voter that could be accommodated if they dont have a picture ID including having someone vouch for you, non-picture ID, verification with PFD or tribal rolls etc so the whole voter disenfranchisement argument is about as nonsensical as the other sides claims of mass voter fraud.
Amazing how people can come up with ID to get a loan, get a hunting license, get a drivers license, enroll as a tribal member or apply for a PFD but when it comes to voting they all of the sudden cant seem to come up with anything.
This bill may be bad but the requirement for voter ID of some fashion is not.
Voter ID
In states the showing of ID has proven that the GOP is trying to limit the non white population the right of voting. The GOP feels that most of the non white population will vote Democratic thus giving the GOP an advantage. This is totally discrimination against the non white and Alaskan natives. I do not think that some of the remote villages need hunting license to practice their substance hunting.
Waste
Someone should shut this nonsense down. This bill does not matter. If there were serious fraud voter turn out numbers would be above 30%. Anyone who cares enough to show up at the polls has an id of some sort already, they are that connected.
This bill is no different than my kids fighting over who is going to empty the dryer. A distraction to avoid actual work by both sides. It doesn't matter who gets this bone it is hollow anyway.
Interesting...
Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with requiring photo ID to vote, so long as there are mechanisms in place to provide them for free throughout the state. This bill comes well in advance of any major elections, so if they want to put this in place, now is the time.
I do find it curious that the people so rabid about registered voters having photo ID are so often the ones adamantly opposed to passing a background check and registering their firearms. Seems like trust in the government is a selective thing...
Gail Fenumiai, director of
Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, said she has not seen any cases of voter fraud in which one person uses another’s identification.
Lynn, quit wasting out time with the ALEC foolishness. time to retire.
angelcrusher: I find it
angelcrusher: I find it curious that people okay with increasing voter id requirements get awful whiny about gun regulation and federal overreach. Gun regulations are broken and need some fixing. Show some evidence that voter fraud is a problem or do you just like more government intrusion in your life on general principles?
I don't believe we have any
I don't believe we have any major problems with voter fraud, or minor ones for that matter. It's a made up issue. But the fact is that it's almost impossible to do anything in this state without a photo ID. Government intrusion? Maybe. But even if you wanted to avoid government interaction, you still need to cash checks, use credit cards, apply for loans and lots more private industry things that also require photo ID.
Bottom line, it should be harder to get a gun than register to vote but just as thorough a process.
Get your green card
Rough Cut you better get you green card
So most of you think that all
So most of you think that all that is needed to vote is a pulse?
Also:
You have the right to vote under the Constitution but only if you are a US Citizen.
You have the right to own a gun under the Constitution but only if you are a US Citizen.
You should be able to prove it.
disenfranchised
We're already there. Just as in the case down south people cannot accept the fact that a "minority" won the presidency. Let's redistrict so this wont happen again.
Those uppity blacks need to be taught a lesson. That thought more to your liking. Those uppity natives need to be taught a lesson too. Lets change the laws. They must be taught English. Take them from their homes. Punish them for speaking their language. Wipe out ten thousand years of culture because it is not our culture. They are all on welfare. Ever been to the bush? Try jaunting in to the local DMV. Hey, where is it. Oh well who needs to vote anyway.
Racial prejudice is fear of a culture you do not understand.
By the way I was not on welfare until Bush trashed the economy. I was a carpenter
right you are, eaglesnest
and it's amazing to me how very many "conservatives" in this state speak with southern accents!
Nice voter reg cards the state already issues
The point is the Photo ID. Yes you have to show ID at the polls or an election worker has to know you personally. Which is very common in Alaska. This isn't because AK has voter fraud. It's because. Rep. Lynn, Rep. Keller and Co. Are not thinking. They are just carrying the ALEC marching orders.
Why the ID must be free
In response to the question regarding why any voter ID must be free: becasue its a Constitutional right. Anything that restricts an individuals right to vote is unconstitutional as in the the literacy test and poll taxes that were charged in the past. SCOTUS has ruled on this matter and nothing can be placed as an obstruction to that right.
Islander, The burden of
Islander,
The burden of proving you are a citizen falls to you, not the government. If you want the rights of a citizen you must be able to prove you are a citizen.
Noroad brings up a good
Noroad brings up a good perspective I see but what's the point? Voter fraud is not even a slight problem as been voiced in this paper by the head of elections for alaska. So, why another law? I don't think it's too difficult to prove you are who you are but again why a law to prevent a problem that does not exsist?
no-road
Are noncitizens allowed to own guns?
election fraud and the electronic voting machine
bush is the one that gave us the electronic voting machines,,, and he hi-jacked the elections twice; once in florida and then again in ohio...the president of diebold corporation said - he would deliver florida....so the confusion goes on - they concocted 9-11 with Iraq,,that was the biggest lie of all. the nazi's knew about propagating the "big lie" We are all still suffering from their distortion of truth....
BillB
the villagers do have to get a hunting license. Many will qualify for the low-income fishing/ hunting license for $5.00 as for ID, they are well covered with village corp, regional corp, and BIA proof they exist there "legally".