ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Republican-controlled state Senate committee approved a perennial GOP plan to require voters to present photo identification. Senator Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, who drafted the proposal, framed it as aimed at increasing voter confidence in election results. Such proposals in other states, always from Republicans, focus on preventing fraud although fraud is extremely rare. Critics say the true GOP goal is to disenfranchise voter groups, notably minorities that lean Democratic. Among opponents is Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat, who runs Minnesota elections. Simon said an ID requirement could disenfranchise “hundreds of thousands of eligible voters.” Because of strong Democratic opposition, the Newman bill is considered unlikely to become law.
Newman. Four-term Republican senator.