Requiring a voter photo ID would be a distraction

Supporters of Voter Photo ID have a laudable goal. They want to be sure that our elections are free, fair, and open. We who oppose a photo ID have the same goal, but it would actually make the election less representative of the will of the people. The only problem a voter photo ID addresses is voter impersonation while ignoring the more likely difficulties. A recent letter to the editor cited registration difficulties including irregularities and poorly maintained voter rolls. Voter photo ID does not address these problems.

A Department of Justice study of elections from 2002-2005 found that of 197 million votes, 26 voters were convicted of fraud, which may not even have been voter impersonation. A News 21 analysis of election irregularities begun in 2000 and reported in 2012 in Slate magazine found a nationwide total of 633 cases of election violations, by far most of them on issues not addressed by a voter photo ID.

Such an ID would cost Iowa about $1.7 million each and every year. Where would citizens like this money to be taken from? Safety? Roads? Education?

Nearly every system can be improved, and Iowa could certainly do a better job of getting eligible voters to the polls. But requiring a voter photo ID will only address voter impersonation. Iowa elections are some of the cleanest in the country. Requiring a voter photo ID would only be expensive and distract us from keeping our elections free, fair and accessible.

Myrna Loehrlein

President, League of Women Voters of Linn County