Issue Position: Voter ID

Issue Position

The right to vote is one of the foundational stones for our country and state. It allows the citizens to decide who will represent them at the legislative and administrative levels of government. This voting process starts at the local levels and extends all the way up to the national level.

Yet, the right to vote becomes rather meaningless if the voting process does not maintain integrity. This integrity is based on the principle of "one person, one vote." Adhering to this principle will ensure that the will of the people is followed.

Voting scandals have been the focus of elections across the nation and also in our state. This has ranged from inaccurate counting of ballots, illegal voters, and voter intimidation. Unless the voting procedure is honest, the whole election process breaks down.

In order to maintain the integrity of the voting process, I support voter identification at the polls. This means having a driver's license or some other type of government picture identification for all prospective voters. This is not an intrusion of privacy or trampling on voter rights as some would claim. It is no different than using a check or credit card out of town and showing some form of identification such as a driver's license before a purchase is made. This request for identification is not considered intrusive but simply a means of protecting both the merchant and buyer. Proper identification is even more important to protect the voter and the voting process.

A government issued picture identification card that cannot be forged needs to be given as proof that the voter is indeed genuine. It will also show the address of the person so that voting in multiple districts is prevented. This simple non-intrusive method will help maintain the integrity of the voting process.

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