LANSING – Michigan House Republicans on Wednesday voted for legislation requiring most people in the state to show photo identification to vote in an effort to bring “integrity” to elections in the state, while Democrats voting against the measure argued it would disproportionally affect people of color, add barriers to those trying to exercise a fundamental right.

The bills would end the current system that allows those without identification to vote after signing an affidavit that they are who they say they are.

Instead, those without photo identification would cast a provisional ballot that would be counted separately from regular ballots if the voter within 10 days of the election shows photo identification at their local clerk’s office and signs an affidavit that they are the same person who cast the provisional ballot. Voters also could provide documentation showing their current address and sign an affidavit that they are too poor to obtain an ID or have a religious objection to being photographed and thus lack a photo ID.

Rep. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) said 18,000 people voted in the last election using the affidavit process, and 39 percent were from Wayne County, which votes heavily for Democrats. 

“If we pass these bills, those people are going to show up at the polls and they are going to be told their vote is not going to count that day,” he said. “This is going to cause confusion and chaos at the polls. There are going to be arguments, people are not going to understand, long lines are going to get longer – maybe that’s the point

Maybe it is. Some critics contend the Republican Party has carefully gerrimandered the state to keep electing Republicans even as a majority of the votes cast in Michigan are for Democrats.

The main bill, HB 6066, passed 57-50. Four Republicans – Rep. Ed McBroom of Vulcan, Rep. Ed Canfield of Sebewaing, Rep. Brett Roberts of Mancelona and Rep. Martin Howrylak of Troy -joined all Democrats in voting no.

The other bills, HB 6067 and HB 6068 – which passed 101-6 and 99-8, respectively – would create programs to get ID or birth certificates for no cost for those who cannot afford them. Under changes made Wednesday the main bill would have an $8 million appropriation for voter education on the new process, HB 6067 a $2 million appropriation and HB 6068 a $1 million appropriation to pay for the free ID and birth certificate programs. The appropriations also mean a referendum is not possible.

Democrats attempted to amend the bill to include a study to determine if the bill’s effect was discriminatory, allow a concealed pistol license to be used as ID on Election Day and allow a new Detroit ID launched in the city this week to be used on Election Day, among others. All amendments proposed by Democrats failed.

Democrats railed against the bills. Rep. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) said he is suffering from “political whiplash” as President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, says voter fraud is widespread, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says there is no evidence of voter fraud in the state and Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alto), sponsor of the bill, said she wants to protect the integrity of the elections.

“This legislation is a solution in search of a problem but the problem isn’t clear and the solution is even murkier,” Moss said.

Rep. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) said he does not believe there is a negative intent behind the bill, but he does think there are problems in the bill. He said he has been trying to help a constituent get a driver’s license for years, and has been unsuccessful. He said clerks in his district may not be in the office in the 10 days after the election because they have other jobs.

McBroom said he thinks the bills ignore that people like that may exist and would be affected.

Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Township) noted that to register to vote, a person needs a photo ID. He said that means at some point a person showed an ID to register to vote.

He said in other situations, people “inherently” know to bring ID, like when they cash their checks, win on a lottery ticket or are gambling.

Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alto) said the bill “raises the bar without raising barriers.” She said with politicians on both sides of the aisle questioning the integrity of elections, the state should answer by making people prove they are who they say they are to make their vote count.

“We want everyone to be able to vote easily, but we want them to know their vote is being protected,” she said.

The bill provides an exemption for voters 62 or older who live in a nursing home and cast their ballot at the nursing home and lack photo identification. Those voters could sign an affidavit testifying to that situation and cast a regular ballot.

This story was published by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on www.gongwer.com