Amendment 6: Voter ID

We live in a complex world, an increasingly complex world. That will not change any time soon. Or at least we should hope not, because if life becomes simple, then that means that life as we know it has changed dramatically, probably irreversibly, and all those hallmarks of civilization that we take for granted are no longer available.

Constitutional Amendment 6 on the (Missouri) November ballot will almost surely pass, despite opposition from the non-partisan League of Women voters and a lonely group working against it. Amendment 6 is the Voter Identification one. Seems simple. Ah, but there’s the rub. Simple in a complex world is anything but.

I was probably leaning toward voting for it myself. Getting a photo ID to vote didn’t strike me as such an onerous a task, and if (when) the amendment passes, groups will arise to ease the process. In fact, the Law of Unintended Consequences may kick in, as it always seems to, and those groups may actually end up registering more people because that’s what true believers do. And, ironically, it may create more of the problem than the one it purports to correct: voter identification fraud. Because the cheaters (and there is virtually zero evidence of this type of fraud) will now have a checklist if they want to try to game the system. There will be less oversight, not more of the increased applications that will follow its passage. Remember, most of those espousing this so-called reform also oppose any new government spending.

But the reason I plan to vote against Amendment 6 is because of my mother-in-law. I should point out that she’s my late mother-in-law who lived in Illinois and won’t be voting any time soon. (Conspiracy theorists may insert their snarky if delusional comment here.) But this law would have probably disenfranchised her. You see, she never had a birth certificate. And Amendment 6 requires that as one of the few types of acceptable forms of identification.

We don’t know where she was born, we don’t know who either of her birth parents are. Her “adoptive” (extra-legal) mother just disappeared one day and showed up a few days later with a baby and refused, even on her death bed, to give any information. My MIL surrendered her driver’s license (just in time, says a grateful community) and, as a non-driver lacked that ID, as well. Could she have jumped through the hoops needed to get a voter ID? Of course. Would we have helped her? Of course. But why, after years of voting, paying taxes, being a productive citizen, should we, the state, place this burden on her? To solve a problem (Voter ID fraud) that is virtually non-existent? While it’s a moot point because she died almost 8 years ago, she’s not alone and would not deserve to be disenfranchised. Oh, and as a denizen of Southern Illinois, would likely have voted Republican.