Thread by @ChrisDunkerLJS

A proposed constitutional amendment (LR292CA) enacting #VoterID in Nebraska is being presented at the Gov't Committee. The sponsor, Sen. Andrew La Grone, says election confidence is lower than it should be, and requiring IDs could improve that.

"What I hear in my community is many of them view it as a common sense approach to securing elections against any kind of interference," La Grone says. He represents Gretna and part of Sarpy County.

La Grone said he thinks Voter ID can be enacted without any Nebraskan being disenfranchised.

Sen. Matt Hansen asks why he brought it as a constitutional amendment rather than a bill. La Grone said the people of Nebraska should get a say.

La Grone says he personally has a high degree of confidence in the state's elections, but thinks Voter ID would "safeguard" the right to vote even more and engender more confidence in the electoral process.

Sec. of State Bob Evnen, who ran on enacting some kind of Voter ID legislation, says La Grone's resolution would allow the Legislature to set the parameters of how voter ID would work here.

"I think voter ID is something that is broadly supported in our state," Evnen says.

Evnen says it's a matter of common sense and not a controversial issue. Gallup found in 2016 that 81% of Americans and 77% of minorities had a favorable opinion of voter ID, according to Evnen.

Anticipating some of the upcoming objections, Evnen said he hasn't found evidence of voter suppression. "I would tell you our preliminary study shows that 95% of Nebraskans who are eligible to register have state-issued photo IDs."

Evnen said he is committed to finding the small number of people who don't have a photo ID and ensuring they can get one, although he doesn't say how that would be accomplished.

Hansen asks: "You don't see any evidence voter ID laws would suppress the vote or change who can vote?"

Evnen says anecdotal evidence from the 36 states that have voter ID law says there hasn't been suppression of minority voters. There is no peer-reviewed study, though.

Hansen: How would you envision Voter ID being operated in the state?

Evnen: "We've begun looking at that." Nebraska's statute would align with what the Supreme Court said is permissible, he said. Adds he thinks state constitution allows for ID now.

Hansen points out if voters approve La Grone's amendment, the Legislature would still have to pass a law.

Evnen: That's correct.

Doug Kagan of American Taxpayers for Freedom says Nebraskans currently need an ID to cash a check or board an airplane.

Sen. Carol Blood asks if those are rights or personal privileges.

Kagan says they're privileges.

Blood asks if they are equal.

Kagan: I see the similarities

Klish Edwards, the next proponent, asks how anyone can be against voter ID: "There is no voter suppression. Most of us have ID's already and the state can issue them, too, at no cost or low cost."

"Once fraud occurs, you're going to have a hard time cleaning up the whole mess," Edwards says.

"We do not want a Chicago situation here," he says later.

Susan Gumm says voter ID is a common sense election reform and a proactive step to protecting elections in Nebraska.

"The justification for voter ID laws does not depend on establishing such fraud. It's enough fraud should be not be permitted," she says.

Gumm says every eligible voter should get the chance to vote, and should be confident their vote won't be canceled out by a fraudulent vote.

"The American people...overwhelming support voter ID requirements," Gumm says without citing her source.

Mark Bonkawicz of Omaha says he uses an ID to do a bunch of stuff. He believes you should also need an ID to do "your most sacred duty as a citizen."

"You shut the gate in order to keep the livestock in the pasture."

Now onto opponents.

Margaret Fisher of Omaha, an alum of McPhee Elementary across the street, says she was taught there to fight for what was right. Many people in her neighborhood have a hard time making ends meet, which can make it difficult to get an ID.

Fisher says she has a friend, a veteran, who lost his birth certificate in an unfortunate circumstance, and a neighbor across the street had their license taken away. They wouldn't be able to vote under this proposal, she says.

Chairman Tom Brewer tells Fisher he wants to connect with her veteran friend and help him get an ID.

Tyler Wilson of Omaha says LR292CA is "a solution for a problem that does not exist yet and it will probably never exist."

Wilson says 414 votes out of 138,000,000 votes cast in 2016 were fraudulent, but 32,000,000 million Americans don't have IDs.

Wilson says voter ID would impact older, rural Nebraskans more than most, because they would have a harder time getting an ID than others.

The conversation should be about automatic voter registration, Wilson says.

Wilson is originally from Myrna, which is in Brewer's district. "We finally got a gas station," he says.

CORREX: IT'S MERNA NOT MYRNA I'M SO SORRY MERNA

Sheri St. Clair of the League of Women Voters of Nebraska says voter ID would create a barrier to voting, and that the wording is too vague as to what would actually appear on the ballot.

She said it would give too much discretion to poll workers, too, which could create probs.

Like a poll worker could turn someone away if that voter didn't match their ID, she says.

Christina Bradley says the rate of voter fraud in the 2016 elections, by the state's own admission, was .00023%. There were two cases, she said.

(This took place in Dawson Co, with two men who voted early and then showed up to the polls on Election Day).

Erin Phillips, a disability policy specialist for People First Nebraska, says voter ID negatively affects those with disabilities who have trouble obtaining one or paying for one.

Those with disabilities get an allowance of $64; an ID may eat up a good chunk of that, leaving limited means to buy food or other necessities, Phillips says.

A couple of opponents have gotten a round of applause from the room. Brewer has let it go so far, although typically committee chairs try to keep that to a minimum.

Judy King says voter ID is part of the "Republican Playbook."

"This is a racist bill," King says. "You are initiating the proposed constitutional amendment with the ultimate aim of making it harder to vote for minority voters."

King took awhile to get going, but when she got there, it was pretty brutal, folks.

The next testifier, by contrast, has a lilting voice and has used "if I may" more than once.

Westin Miller of Civic Nebraska tells senators to ask if there is a clear problem, if there is evidence the policy will be effective, if the taxpayer expense would be responsible -- questions the committee asks about every other policy.

Miller says he's seen the same polls showing a lack of faith in elections as Evnen, but there is no research to show voter ID laws have any effect on fraud "either actual or perceived."

Hansen asks Miller the significance of this legislation being a constitutional amendment rather than a bill.

Miller says La Grone's proposal is the most vague voter ID proposal that's been put forward since 2011. If Nebraskans approve, there is no guarantees of cost/language.

"It's kind of a rotten situation for you all to be in in terms of crafting legislation," Miller says of the resolution.

Vicki Young, president of the Omaha branch of the NAACP: "Here we go again."

While supporters say voter ID is needed to protect elections, there is no signs of voter fraud in the state, Young says. "We find the Nebraska Legislature attempting to eviscerate" the right to vote.

"Our rights have traditionally been denied by poll taxes, literacy tests," and other measures, Young says.

"It is a problem created by political ambitions and will not solve a problem that does not exist," she adds.

Mark Metcalf, who taught me how to write good at BHS, and who now lives near Sutton, says with Republicans up and down the board, maybe Nebraska has a problem with voting. But that problem is not with voting fraud, he says.

"What really irks me enough to come here and speak to you today is the hateful symbolism of this voter ID," Metcalf says, which is an attempt to disenfranchise racial minorities.

Quick side story about Mr. Metcalf. In his English classes at BHS, he used to do a "Perfect Attendance Derby," where the class period with the most days of perfect attendance would get a cookie.

Literally, A cookie that 28+ students in the class would have to share. Fun times.

Jeff Parris, a military veteran, testified to the challenges a voter ID may place on servicemen and women.

Lazaro Mendoza of the Latin American Commission says it would erect additional barriers to some voters.

Mendoza adds 2018 saw some of the highest voter turnout in history, which he suggests may indicate a high confidence in the state's elections.

And with most races won by a wide margin, voter fraud would be easily discovered.

Authoritarian countries impose these kind of restrictions on voters, says Mendoza, who is from Venezuela: "This is communism, this is tyranny."

Mary Angus says voter ID could lengthen the time people spend at the polls, which would be disadvantageous for all voters.