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June 17, 2008

Carcieri urges elimination of straight-party voting

PROVIDENCE – Surrounded by GOP lawmakers, Governor Carcieri today mounted an eleventh-hour appeal to the General Assembly’s Democratic leaders to eliminate the option of straight-party voting and require that voters produce a photo identification before they are allowed to vote.

At an afternoon press conference, Carcieri said the voter ID requirement would ensure “that voters are who they say they are’’ and elimination of the straight-ticket option would spur more “thoughtful’’ consideration of candidates in Rhode Island, where Democrats hold an overwhelming majority in the General Assembly and all top statewide offices except the governor’s office.

As one of only 17 states that still allow straight-party voting, Carcieri said eliminating this option “will encourage voters to do their homework, consider candidates more carefully, and make informed decisions. Doing away with straight ticket voting would give all candidates a fair chance.’’

In actuality, the bills don’t yet go that far.

They call for a non-binding referendum on eliminating the straight-party voting option, which supporters hope will put pressure on the Democrat-dominated General Assembly to act accordingly. A Voters First Advisory Commission also recommended putting straight-ticket voting to the public in a non-binding referendum.

Both bills have their critics outside the political sphere, however, and with this year’s legislative session nearing an end, possibly as early as Friday, neither has won the support of a legislative committee.

The Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has led the campaign against voter ID on grounds that “these laws disenfranchise eligible voters, pose a particular burden on poor, elderly, disabled and minority voters, and divert attention from more serious problems facing the voting process -- all in an attempt to "fix" a largely non-existent problem of alleged voter impersonation.’’

-- Katherine Gregg, Journal State House bureau

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 4:16 PM | Permalink

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