It had to happen sooner or later, and it happened sooner. A long list of House Republicans has sponsored a bill that would take away some Minnesotans’ voting rights by requiring photo ID to vote. 

The bill, like any anti-voting “voter ID” bill, will prevent the old and poor from voting, particularly in rural areas. Many elderly citizens, especially in rural areas, can’t easily make it to county offices that can easily be several hours away from them. Many of the poor working two or more jobs can’t make it to county offices during their limited hours. This bill only requires counties to open a single office for voter IDs, making it very difficult for people with limited mobility.

And what would the upside be? This bill wouldn’t fix the problem of the very small number of felons whose voting-eligibility status was not properly communicated. That’s a completely separate issue. And if somebody wanted to falsify their identity to vote — which nobody does — how would this stop them? It’s hardly difficult to acquire a fake ID.

To stop even one person from exercising their right to vote is an affront to the Democratic principles of our nation. There can be no acceptable justification for taking away a citizen’s most fundamental right. It just makes matters worse that this anti-voting bill would accomplish absolutely none of its stated goals.