State Senator introduces bill for the third time to require voters to prove citizenship
While the text of SB225 has yet to be made public, Madsen said it would require voters to show proof of citizenship while registering or the first time they vote. Those voters who are already registered would be grandfathered in.
Madsen is sponsoring the bill for the third time. He said he's hoping to solve concerns raised in the past about the potential disenfranchisement of Native American voters who may not have identification readily available, though he declined to discuss details.
"I don't want to disenfranchise people who are citizens," Madsen said. "In order to have confidence in the system ... it's worth a little bit of effort on everyone's part."
The legislation was prompted by "potential threats" Madsen said include possible organized efforts to register illegal immigrants to vote or people registering to vote in more than one state.
The bill was first introduced in 2005, after an audit revealed that 383 people believed to be illegal immigrants had registered to vote, and 14 had cast ballots in an election.
"I'm not sure what they're trying to solve," said Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swenson. "It just creates a bit of a hardship for everyone. ... If someone poses as someone else, we should punish that person."
Madsen acknowledged his bill may again spark some controversy, but said it's meant to make sure there is confidence in the system, "so when people feel they've cast their vote, it is not nullified by those who shouldn't be voting."
A list of valid documents proving citizenship in last year's bill may be expanded, he said. That list includes: a copy of a Utah driver license issued after July 1, 2005, a birth certificate, a U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or other documents established as proof of citizenship, a Bureau of Indian Affairs card or a tribal treaty card.
E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com
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