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Kansas Secretary of State-elect Kris Kobach ran on a platform which included the passage of a robust voter ID law. Now, even before he is elected or a formal plan has been introduced by the legislature a coalition of liberal groups are already opposing the legislation which is favored by 82% of Americans in an August poll by Rasmussen. The groups who are lining up to oppose Voter ID (including ACLU, Kansas Equality Center, and NOW), are doing so without an idea of what the final bill will even be. Kobach does have an idea of what he would like the bill to look like:
Kobach said a broad swath of people support voter photo ID, citing an August 2010 poll conducted by Rasmussen that said 82 percent of Americans wanted the requirement.
"Only a small fringe of the public opposes that," he said. "You can't get to 82 percent with just Republicans."
He began working on the draft of a bill calling for voter photo ID even before he was elected. He plans to have the bill completed by Jan. 1 and have legislators file it before the legislative session begins Jan. 10.
"The intention is to move quickly so Kansas has the most secure elections in the nation," Kobach said.
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Gov.-elect Sam Brownback, a Republican, has consistently said he supports requiring photo ID at the polls.
GOP state Reps. Lance Kinzer of Olathe and Anthony Brown of Eudora are two legislators that Kobach cited as willing to co-sponsor the bill. He said he hasn't decided whether to have the bill introduced simultaneously in the House and Senate.
Kobach said the bill would also strengthen investigation and prosecution of voter fraud.
He has consistently insisted voter fraud does exist, claiming there were 75 reports of voter fraud in Kansas over the past 10 years going into the 2008 election.
Without a bill on the table and working to make this proposal work in a constructive fashion. Instead, they are opposing a bill which requires something that the vast majority of voters already have in their wallets. In the end, this is about ensuring that the electoral process is protected and that no one is able to cheat or game the system. Voter ID is, and has always been, a simple method to ensure that the electoral system is protected. It is amazing that in many places a photo ID is needed to open a bank account, or almost anything else, yet is not needed to cast a vote for the next leader of the free world. It will be interesting to see in the coming months what comes of this proposal and what angry rhetoric the left will pull out to attempt to block this law. Stay tuned.