Where’s the evidence on disenfranchisement?

There have been several commentaries and letters recently decrying voter ID legislation as “disenfranchising” large populations of minorities and other selective groups of prospective voters.

Jean McMenimen, president of the League of Women Voters of Linn County, wrote an opinion piece (“Voter ID laws infringe on right to vote,” July 26) that offered no evidence or proof that existing voter ID laws have suppressed or inhibited voters from the stated minority groups from voting.

In fact, the Supreme Court in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board 2008 voted 6-3 to uphold the constitutionality of the 2005 Indiana photo ID requirement. The argument that this negatively affected the poor, minorities or other groups could not be proven as no disenfranchised voters could be produced as evidence. When barely 50 percent of the eligible voters vote in national elections, and 10 percent to 15 percent in local elections, I would think more efforts to get validated registered voters to vote would produce more participation in our democracy rather than protesting photo ID legislation. Voters need to assume some responsibility in their participation of this right. It's a small sacrifice to make.

Tom Pyron

Cedar Rapids