Many states around the country are putting laws in place requiring voters to present a government issued photo ID in order to vote. But Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos does not support the idea. On Friday, he said the whole idea is "much ado about nothing".
The Secretary said the small number of actual proven cases of voter fraud does not require the aggressive stance many states are taking. "Frankly," Condos said, "the whole issue of voter ID sweeping the country is really a political issue being disguised as a voter integrity issue."
Condos added that laws requiring a photo ID will disenfranchise large segments of the voting population. "It’s the seniors, it’s the young, it’s students, it’s minorities, those are folks that are impacted the most heavily," he said.
Condos says Vermont should concentrate on updating voter fraud statutes, and increase the penalties for filing false information.