It may be the undercard on this year's crowded ballot, but the fight over photo IDs for voters is beginning to attract prominent names and to promise a vigorous debate over the soundness of Minnesota's often-praised election system.
Former Vice President Walter Mondale, a Democrat, joined former Gov. Arne Carlson, a Republican, and former U.S. Rep. Tim Penny, a Democrat-turned third-party member, in strongly denouncing the proposed constitutional amendment on Tuesday. They said it was an unneeded attack on a fair and honest system, a cookie-cutter plan that came from a national campaign stoked by moneyed conservatives.
Meanwhile, the pro-ID side is plugging away at raising questions about fraud and the looseness of a system that allows same-day registration but does not require voters to prove their identity. They are bringing in their own big name, former Vikings' star Matt Birk, to raise money for a billboard campaign and build a kitty for the long battle ahead.
"It comes from the Koch brothers," said Carlson, referring to David and Charles Koch, owners of Koch Industries and major funders of a number of conservative causes nationally.
"This is an outside force, coming to Minnesota, telling us how our Constitution ought to be designed," added Carlson.
"Minnesota has the best record of openness, of honesty, of voter participation, of any state in the union," said Mondale. "This is a clean, solid, exemplary state. This constitutional amendment is designed to discourage voting."
The Republican-backed proposal, which is to be submitted to voters in November, would amend the state Constitution to require all voters to show a government-issued photo ID, would create a system of two-step provisional voting for those without proper ID on election day, and would mandate uniform registration requirements for all voters.
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, a former election judge and secretary of state who has long pushed the amendment, said it is a homegrown movement to improve Minnesota's voting system. "I have no clue what the Koch brothers are," she said.