It’s pretty hard to find 80 percent who agree on anything nowadays. More so if it’s a cause considered “conservative” and the entity doing the survey is the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. But Minnesotans, it turns out, really like the idea of checking voters’ identity using widely-issued and easily available forms of state and federal identification:
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Legislation requiring voters to present photo ID at the polls has ignited a partisan battle at the Capitol this spring, but an overwhelming majority of Minnesotans support the idea, according to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll.
Eighty percent of respondents said they favor a photo ID requirement, which Republican majorities at the Legislature have made one of their signature goals of the session. Democrats have almost universally opposed it, arguing that it will prevent members of some groups from voting.
That party split was reflected in the poll: A whopping 94 percent of Republicans supported photo ID, compared to 64 percent of Democrats.
That party split was reflected in the poll: A whopping 94 percent of Republicans supported photo ID, compared to 64 percent of Democrats.
It turns out that common sense crosses party lines. Gov. Mark Dayton, D, may veto the proposal, which would bring Minnesota’s election system up to speed with Mexico’s system (which has required photo IDs since at least 1994). If Dayton vetoes, the Republicans plan to put it to a voter referendum.
