Letter - What Paul is just sayin' is just wrong

To the editor:

DuWayne Paul [Echo Press 9/12/12 Opinion Page] claimed Minnesota’s 2008 Senate election was affected by voter fraud, and the cure is a constitutional amendment requiring voters to provide a photo ID. He is wrong. The race wasn’t affected by voter fraud. There simply isn’t a voter fraud epidemic in Minnesota.

The Senate election was proof that Minnesota’s electoral system is among the fairest, most transparent in the country. A hand recount, unanimously verified by multiple bipartisan panels of judges, including the Minnesota Supreme Court, showed how strong our system is. Norm Coleman’s own lawyer told the Minnesota Supreme Court: “...there’s no voter fraud, there’s no election fraud.”

Now, partisan groups are using widely debunked “evidence” of felons voting to advocate for an amendment that would make it harder for law-abiding Minnesotans, especially seniors and military members serving out of the country, to vote.

I’m a long-time election judge. I’ve participated in post-election audits with Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota. I’ve seen firsthand how Minnesota’s system improves voter turnout and gives everyone a voice. This amendment would take that voice away from thousands of law-abiding Minnesotans, and do nothing to protect the sanctity of our elections.

Mr. Paul, what you’re “just sayin” is just wrong.

Ruth Obert

Alexandria, MN

(A paid political letter)

Tags: opinion, letters