Well Gusties, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s an election coming up in less than a month! Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve probably been bombarded with political messages from every side, including plenty about the two constitutional amendments on the ballot this November right here in Minnesota. While the marriage amendment is pretty easy to understand, the Voter ID amendment is much more complex, but is equally important. Should this amendment pass every single voter will be required to provide a state issued form of photo identification with the voter’s current address listed on it both when s/he registers to vote, and when s/he actually votes.
You might think, well hey, if I have to show my ID to get into a bar or club, why shouldn’t I have to show one when I vote? But here’s the thing—when you go to a club the bouncer is only looking at your age, they could care less about your address. Unfortunately that’s the important part they’ll be looking for when you vote. If the address (or any other information) listed on your ID does not exactly match the one on the registered voter rolls, guess what? You won’t be voting. Or you’ll be dealing with a far more complicated system apparently designed with inconvenience in mind.
This is especially problematic for students who are constantly moving between campus and home, and from dorm to dorm, for the homeless who don’t have an address to list on their ID, and here’s the kicker—for women who get married and change their last name or move, or for victims of domestic abuse who are living temporarily with friends or family or in shelters and cannot change their address without fear of being tracked by their abuser. The Voter ID amendment could prevent millions of female students, homeless women, and women from all walks of life across the state from voting in future elections!
Here’s the great news, though: this amendment is not yet in place, and with your help it won’t ever be! Exercise your constitutional right to vote this November 6th and Vote NO on the Voter ID Amendment to protect your own voice and those of your friends, family, and neighbors!