Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach tells House Elections Committee voter fraud is a bigger issue

[proud2BlibKansan]

TOPEKA — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach told legislators Monday that election fraud is far more widespread in the state than previously thought, but a critic of his bill on the subject sharpened her attacks over what she sees as its potential to suppress turnout among minorities.

Kobach released a report that his office has received 59 reports of alleged irregularities involving at least 221 ballots since 1997 — twice as many as documented by an internal report three years ago. And he suggested those reports represent perhaps only 10 percent of what’s actually occurred.

“It must be made clear that this report significantly understates the incidence of election fraud in Kansas,” the Republican Kobach told the House Elections Committee during its first hearing on his bill.

The measure would require voters to show photo identification at the polls, and people who register to vote for the first time in Kansas would have to provide proof of their citizenship. The bill also would increase penalties for election crimes and allow the secretary of state’s office to prosecute cases, along with the attorney general’s office and count prosecutors.

more . . . http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jan/31/kris-kobach-testify-front-kansas-house-elections-c/?kansas_legislature

Great comments from Rep Mah - Dem from Topeka.

This is just heartbreaking to me. My mother and father were both born at home and had no birth certificate. Under this new law, they wouldn't be able to vote. Does Kobach realize he is disenfranchising many of our greatest generation?

[LonePirate]

1. Assuming 10% is correct, why the fuss over 2210 ballots over 13 years?

Given all of the various races these 2210 ballots would impact, I doubt any of the outcomes would have changed.

This bill is not about voter fraud. It is all about voter suppression. This is a modern day anti-voting rights bill that will keep hundreds if not thousands of people from voting in each and every election. For instance, how would senior citizens in a long term care facility vote if they do not have an official photo ID with a current address on it? How many people move and change their registration but not change their driver's license?

Kobach is a scum bag of epic proportions.