Poll: Is the Voter ID Amendment Necessary, or a Political Ploy?

Should proof-of-identity be required at the voting booth?

Republicans, in general, say "yes." They point out that people are often required to show their identification: When purchasing alcoholic beverages, when boarding a plane, when using a credit card, when pulled over by the police for a traffic violation.

Why not require positive identification, then, before stepping into the voting both—that most sacred right in a democracy?

Democrats, in general, say "no." They say requiring voter ID is a solution in search of a problem. They point out that aside from a few isolated incidents, there's been no evidence of voter fraud, and they worry that such proposals are simply a way of keeping the poor, and ethnic minoriites, out of the voting booth (and therefore boosting chances of a GOP victory in November).

In Minnesota, a state more or less evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, the issue will be on the ballot this November. But a passionate debate is already under way. Please vote in our poll, and explain your reasoning in the comments below.