Kiffmeyer (R) attempting to change election rules

[Viking12]

This letter came from the DFL. I know Kiffmeyer has expressed her disregard for voter access and registering at the polls, anybody know the specifics on this?

"Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, a Republican with an extremely partisan track record, is in charge of our election process this November. During the past legislative session, Kiffmeyer pushed for dangerous measures that would have made it harder for Minnesotans to vote and easier for them to be turned away at the voting booth. A
bipartisan group of legislators prevented her from enacting these changes, but now she is trying to bypass the legislature and enact
these rules herself. It is up to all of us to stop her, or face the consequences of Minnesota potentially becoming another Florida.

The only way to stop Kiffmeyer from distorting our election process is to take action today. Please FAX a letter to the Judge overseeing this issue by 4:30 p.m. this Thursday and request a public hearing. Below, please find a sample letter you can work from - the fax number is 612-349-2665. The letter must be faxed, or it will not be accepted. These decisions should not be made behind closed doors without public comment -- just 100 days away from an election. Large-scale changes like Kiffmeyer is talking about should be put before the people as they affect every citizen's right to vote.

Sincerely,

Mike Erlandson
Minnesota DFL Chair

[mourningdove92]

1. What kind of changes is

she proposing?

[Viking12]

3. DRASTIC CHANGES

I did some further research, she's rewriting the State's election laws. Given her on-the-record disdain for same day registration, this doen't look good.

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/election/RuleAnalysisPartbyPart.pdf

[dflprincess]

2. I believe one of the things she wants to do is require ID at the polls

even if you're already registered. Many elderly people don't have picture ID's - if they've given up driving they just let the license expire and don't bother with getting a state ID card. My mom was one of these. Last week, while I was on vacation, I dragged her to the DMV to get a state ID card, just in case Kiffmeyer pulls this off. We had to bring both her birth and marriage certificates to get the card.

If you know anyone without an ID tell them to get it taken care of to be on the safe side. A current passport will work for id otherwise, men need only show up with their birth certificate, Mom needed needed the marriage certificate to show why her name had been changed.

I'm not sure what other documents will work for id if there's a problem with finding a birth certificate.

[ButterflyBlood]

4. social security card maybe?

I have a student ID card, that worked when I registered.

[dflprincess]

5. Student ID should work at the polls

If you're already registered and if it has a picture. (Or your student id and something with your picture.) I think what she wants is to require picture ID's when you vote. I don't know she can do this without the legislature's okay.

Before I took the Old One in to get her ID I called to see what kind of documentation they needed. They told me birth certificate, marriage certificate or passport. Social Security wouldn't do it.

It's all rather weird. Mom is 80 now - the description on her birth certificate doesn't really look like her anymore. The guy at the DMV has some problem with her marriage certificate - even though it had a Hennepin County seal on it. Apparently he hadn't seen one this old and I gather the current ones must indicate what last name one plans to use. I had to explain to him that in 1946 it was assumed the bride would take her husband's name. We really could have walked in with anyone's birth and marriage certificates. Just so the baby's name and the maiden name on the marriage license matched.

The catch-22 was, she had to pay cash for the ID because the DMV won't take a check without picture ID. This after proving who she is.

Proving identity can be a big problem for some people. Several years ago my friend's dad needed to get a passport. The court house where his birth certificate was suppose to be had burned down long before microfiche or computers - even his military discharge papers weren't good enough. What they finally accepted an affidavit from his older sister swearing he was who he said he was.