Video: Golden Valley Rep Accuses GOP of 'Fear-Mongering'

A bill proposed to fight voter fraud, gaining steam in the Minnesota House of Representatives, is under attack by a Golden Valley lawmaker accusing Republicans of fear-mongering.

Rep. Mike Benson (R- Rochester) proposed a bill that would require a state-issued driver's license or other approved photo ID at the voting booth.

Minnesota law doesn't require voters to present identification if they have already registered.  Voter ID legislation has been introduced by Republicans with little success in the past, but Benson's HF 89 bill is gaining some momentum and currently has 26 co-authors.  A similar bill, HF 210, has more than 30 GOP authors. One of the two is expected to make its way to the House floor.

HF 210 calls for the state to purchase and install a network of broadband-linked tools in nearly every precinct. To accommodate those who lack an approved photo ID, the bill mandates the state issue identification cards free of charge.

The issue of voter fraud started grabbing headlines last fall when Hennepin County's top prosecutor charged dozens with voter fraud stemming from the 2008 general election.

According to Minnesota Public Radio, Mike Freeman said 43 of the cases involved felons who were ineligible to vote, and four cases involved double-voting.

Freeman also said that despite the charges, investigators didn't find evidence of people working together to commit voter fraud.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie estimates that creating a network of verification machines could cost more than $20 million. Some Democrats have put the cost at closer to $40 million.

Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL – 44B), of Golden Valley, is among Democrats who say the bill is costly and unnecessary.

Winkler addressed Benson in a State Government Finance Committee meeting Monday, saying the bill was essentially a waste of money.

“I don’t really know what kind of criminal mastermind you have in mind here who would commit a felony but wouldn’t take any of these very easy steps around a photo ID requirement,” he said.

Winkler said the only thing the bill would do is disenfranchise voters.

“You have no basis other than fear and some fear-mongering by outside organizations about the integrity of Minnesota elections,” he said to Benson and the committee.  “And the mechanism you’ve created to correct this non-existent problem really doesn’t do anything.”

HF 89 was passed through the Government Finance Committee on its way to the House Ways and Means Committee, the last stop before it goes to the House floor.  No date on a hearing for the bill has been set.