Top Republicans seek to keep photo ID on ballot

Published 6:15 am Sunday, June 10, 2012

ST. PAUL — Republican legislative leaders are intervening in a lawsuit to try to keep a proposed photo ID requirement for voters on November’s ballot.

Senate Majority Leader David Senjem and House Speaker Kurt Zellers said Friday that opponents want to keep the measure off the ballot. The leaders will convene a legislative commission next Thursday to adopt a resolution on the lawsuit.

A lawsuit filed last week contends that the language of the ballot question doesn’t accurately describe what the amendment would do. The four groups and five individual voters who sued say passage of the amendment could weaken their voting rights.

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The Minnesota Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case on July 17. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the proposed constitutional amendment this year.