MN Voters to Decide on Photo ID Amendment to Constitution

The Minnesota Senate voted 36-30 Friday night in favor of putting a Photo ID constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.

Voters in this year's general election will decide by ballot referendum whether to amend the state Constitution to require photo identification at the polls. It does not need Gov. Mark Dayton's signature.

Sen. Jim Metzen (D-South St. Paul), who represents the Mendota Heights area, voted against the referendum. 

Both .

The only amendment to the proposal that passed on the Senate floor would allow government-approved IDs to be allowed as permissible identification as well as government-issued IDs. 

This is a point that Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul) said was of particular interest to  students that visited his office this week. 

Watch a video recap of the Senate floor debate in two parts here via The UpTake.

The very early Wednesday morning on a party-line 72-62 vote, after more than nine hours of floor debate.

Advocates say the measure would make it more difficult to commit voter fraud.

But a similar measure in Wisconsin has proved highly controversial—and was recently struck down by a judge for a second time.

Another proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage is already set for a ballot referendum in the fall.

A third proposed constitutional amendment—making Minnesota a in which union dues are optional—is making unsteady progress in the state Legislature.

What's your opinion? Leave a comment below. Do you support showing government issued or approved identification at the polls to vote?