Langevin, Cicilline Sign Letter Opposing Voter ID Laws
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Rhode Island Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline have signed a letter to RI Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis urging him to oppose new state measures that would restrict the ability of eligible voters to vote in upcoming elections.
The letter, which Mollis’ office claims it has yet to receive, is part of a larger movement to send letters of this nature to Secretaries of State nationwide. House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) is leading the charge and 196 House Democrats signed the letter.
The letter highlights “a disturbing trend” by which “election legislation and administration appear to be increasingly the product of partisan plays.” It asserts that “voting hours, voting sites, identification requirements, voter registration regulation and access to mail ballots should not be used as weapons to achieve a preferred electoral outcome.”
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Langevin and Cicilline’s support for greater voter accessibility comes in the wake of July 2011 legislation – signed by Governor Lincoln Chafee and sponsored by Rep. Jon D. Brien (D-Dist. 5, Woonsocket) and Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) on behalf of Mollis – that requires voters to show identification at the polls beginning in 2012. At that time, if voters do not have a photo ID, voters can use a variety of non-photo identification including a Medicare or social security card. Beginning in 2014, photo ID will be mandatory. Tuesday’s local elections were the last to be held exempt from this new legislation.
“You have to have an ID to do just about anything today, from opening a bank account to getting a gym membership,” said Representative Brien last July, when the legislation was passed. “But you don’t have to prove you are who you say you are to make use of your most important constitutional right. This new law will eliminate confusion of individuals at the polls and reduce fraud without causing a significant imposition on voters.”
The letter signed by the Congressmen cites “an elderly woman unable to locate her birth certificate for purposes of establishing her U.S. citizenship on election day,” and “a college student whose school-issued identification is not among the IDs deemed acceptable,” as examples of circumstances by which state legislation may deny citizens their right to vote.
However, under the current legislation, Rhode Island considers all college, state and federally issued photo IDs valid, including RIPTA passes for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Furthermore, voters without photo IDs can be provided one, free of charge, by the Secretary of State’s office. The law also allows voters who do not have an ID to cast provisional ballots.
“As a minority citizen and a senior citizen I would not support anything that I thought would present obstacles or limit protections,” said Senator Metts. “While I’m sensitive to the concerns raised, at this point I am more interested in… stopping voter fraud. Hesitation based on potential ramifications of what may or may not happen at the expense of the integrity of the system is no longer an option.”
Study Criticizes Laws
After signing the new legislation, Chafee defended his stance, stating that he “met with a number of experts on both sides to discuss this complex issue,” and “spoke with representatives of our state’s minority communities… [finding] their concerns about voter fraud and their support for this bill particularly compelling."
Despite the apparent support of minority communities for the new legislation, a study conducted at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School ofLaw suggest that photo ID laws – enacted by seven states (including RI) in 2011 – disproportionately affect minority groups like seniors, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters and students.
The study found that 3.2 million (11%) potential voters in Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin – five states that also enacted voter ID laws in 2011 – would be affected by new legislation because they lack photo IDs. However, the Center noted that, “Rhode Island voters are excluded from this count, because Rhode Island’s new law’s requirements are significantly less onerous than those in the other states.”
The study raises questions as to the validity of Congressman Hoyer’s argument in the Ocean State. The Center’s findings suggest that while restrictions on voter accessibility may need serious reconsideration in numerous other states, Rhode Island’s legislation could potentially serve as a model of moderation between fraud protection and universal enfranchisement.
To that end, the letter concludes, “We ask that you be vigilant in protecting against fraud but equally vigilant in protecting the franchise for all our citizens.”
Both Langevin and Cicilline's office did not return multiple phone calls requesting comment.
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