Dan Tokaji's Blog
Professor Dan Tokaji
Election reform, the Voting Rights Act, the Help America Vote Act, and related topics -- with special attention to the voting rights of people of color, non-English proficient citizens, and people with disabilities

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Equal Vote
Wednesday, April 13
 
My Views on the ID Controversy
Can be found here. The news of the day on the voter ID front is that the Indiana Senate has approved a voter identification requirement that the Governor says he'll sign. Some say that this would be the strictest ID requirement in the nation, because it requires government-issued photo ID:
People without identification could still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day, but the ballot would only be counted if voters present the required ID to their county election board by the Monday after the vote.
The bill was enacted along partisan lines, with Republicans supporting it and Democrats opposing it on the ground that it will disenfranchise those without ID -- including a disproportionate number of minority and elderly voters.

My take: For the reasons explained in my comment, I think the bill violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Expect a legal challenge if, as expected, Republican Governor Mitch Daniels signs the bill.
- posted by Dan Tokaji @ 3:45 PM


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