GOP backers say voter ID not over

They cite need to protect elections

The state’s voter identification law, not even a year old, met a swift end in October when the state’s highest court found that the provision violated core tenets of the state constitution.

But Republican backers of the voided law say they aren’t giving up on the effort, arguing that there is still a pressing need to ensure “integrity” in the state’s electoral process.

Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forrest, said it is “very likely” that he will sponsor legislation similar to bills he sponsored in the past that were directed at creating more election safeguards, such as creating a voter integrity unit with the secretary of state’s office, to promote healthy and fair elections.

The return of the voter ID law, in the form of a constitutional amendment, is one of those.

He said he thinks Democrats might take an interest in supporting more election and voting legislation now that they’re the minority party.

“I’ve told them that when you’re the minority and there are election discrepancies that can’t be explained, things the state board [of election commissioners] won’t look into, the reverse of how things have been the last umpteen years … they may want to consider that,” he said. “I have zero tolerance for voter fraud, Republican or Democrat, zero tolerance. Fact is, we’ve got election commissioners out there not doing a decent job.”

Despite the need, King said, he had limited hopes for the proposed amendment getting out of the Senate State Agencies Committee.

With four Republicans and four Democrats on the committee, King has joked that he has a better chance of winning a Brad Pitt look-alike contest.

“If [ a constitutional amendment] doesn’t make it through the legislative process, and I’m not saying that’s not an option, it’s something that will require a lot of work.” Supporters will have “to go out and get signatures and the threshold is tougher,” he said. “That avenue would be extremely difficult, not because I don’t think we’ll win on the issue, but because of all the work it takes.”

Sen. Joyce Elliott, one of the four Democrats on the committee, said her opposition to voter ID requirements hasn’t changed.

The Little Rock politician said that even though her party is in the minority, there has been no demonstrated need for lawmakers to amend the constitution. The amendment would only disenfranchise voters, she said.

“Unfortunately, [voter ID] is not dead. It should be dead, but there is some unfounded zealotry about the voting process, that somehow it’s being compromised when it’s really not,” Elliott said. “Once we amend the constitution to cure ills that are not there, we are overstepping our bounds. We shouldn’t make up a problem and then fashion our own solution where no problem exists.”

Since 2008, there have been 26 complaints to the state Board of Election Commissioners regarding voter fraud or absentee voting irregularities that prompted the board to take action, either by working with the local election commission or forwarding information to local or federal prosecutors.

When asked if the absence of the voter ID law led to more reported cases of voter fraud this election, director of the commission Justin Clay said his office has received complaints, but he wouldn’t specify the nature of them because of ongoing investigations by the board.

Elliott and other critics of such laws — like the Arkansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union — said there’s not enough evidence of voter fraud to justify a law, which during this year’s primary led to about 1,000 absentee ballots being discarded.

“It disenfranchises voters,” ACLU attorney Holly Dickson said. “That should be enough information for the Legislature to have pause about trying to do this again.”

Republican majority leader Rep. Ken Bragg, Sheridan, said there is still widespread support in his caucus for another approach on voter ID, as well as other election and voter issues.

When asked if he thought any progress on a voter ID measure was feasible, he said it was hard to say.

“I’m not sure [if voter ID is dead on arrival],” he said. “There might be a scenario [later in the coming legislative session] for a compromise.”

Secretary of State Mark Martin, a supporter of the law, said shortly after the ruling that he would work with lawmakers and supporters of voter integrity issues to safeguard future elections.

A spokesman for Martin’s office said Martin stands behind the intent of the voter ID law but that his office is not in a position to advocate for the measure.

Rep. Stephen Meeks, R-Conway, said he wouldn’t bet on the bill making it out of King and Elliott’s committee, but that’s no reason not to push for it again.

“One thing that surprises me, looking at the polling that’s been done [on voter ID measures], there’s an easy majority, and people who vote Democrat, who support voter ID laws,” Meeks said. “[Because it faces a challenge] doesn’t mean you don’t fight for it but [Democrat opposition in committee], it’s a concern that presents a potential roadblock.”