Voter ID law should stand

May 05, 2006 10:48 pm

— Democrats recently challenged the voter ID law. The Indiana Democratic Party asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a U.S. District Court ruling allowing voter IDs.
The reason for the challenge: Complaints to Democratic officials are proof the voters are being hurt by the law. Mike Edmondson, executive director of the Indiana Democratic Party, said there is clear evidence of disenfranchisement. “Even if it was one, that was too many.”
The Democrats are hoping to get this law lifted before the general election in November.
Republicans offered a different opinion. “The only people this kept away from the polls are cheaters,” said Todd Rokita, Indiana’s secretary of state.
We didn’t hear a lot of problems locally with the voter ID. One man, we reported, was turned away because he had a Florida driver’s license. And we reported before the election, that Ball State University IDs couldn’t be used due to lack of an expiration date. One student at Notre Dame was turned away from using his school ID because Notre Dame is not a state school.
The state was clear about what kinds of ID could be used. A voter ID could be obtained from any license branch. Driver’s licenses could be used, as could most state colleges except Ball State. In short, any state and federal ID would pass muster at the polls.
We think the voter ID is a good law. It will keep those who shouldn’t vote away from the polls. There was also some leeway, as was explained by Madison County officials. If someone’s ID said Robert Smith and he called himself Bob, let him vote. That’s just common sense.
And common sense seems to be behind the voter ID law. There is always the possibility of some kind of fraud when people go to the polls. This law just makes it more difficult.
Rokita predicts failure for the Democrats’ appeal. He thinks the ID law is long overdue. Voting is an important act for all Americans. We routinely show our ID for any manner of functions, none nearly as important as casting our vote.
We simply don’t buy into the disenfranchisement argument. There was ample opportunity to get an ID and those who were eligible to vote seemed to have no trouble at the polls. It’s a good law.