There are simpler and less costly ways to verify voter ID than the amendment on our ballot this year.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his Carter Institute have monitored more elections around the world than any other organization in the history of our country. Recently at Drake University in Iowa, President Carter said that voter ID restrictions anywhere in the world only serve one purpose, and that is to keep people from voting.

He also said that most countries finance their elections only with public funds. If we would each check the box on our tax form that gives $2 to the general election fund, that would be the fairest way to finance elections in this country.

Former Gov. Arne Carlson said in an AARP forum last week that the voter ID amendment on our ballot would deny the vote to some seniors, veterans, college students and others in transition. Also, the equipment to produce and people to verify state-generated IDs would be very costly. This amendment, if passed, would immediately be challenged in court because a constitutional amendment must have bipartisan support, and this does not. Court proceedings would waste millions of tax dollars. Vote no on the voter ID amendment.

 

Lenore Fries

Albert Lea