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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

MN ALEC Voter ID - Impacts Veterans

People who support the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)  Voter ID Legislation – turned into the proposed constitutional Amendment in Minnesota – state that people who are on Social Security or get government benefits have to have an photo ID to get Social Security or benefits

That argument is short-sighted to the issue of Voter ID because the ALEC Voter ID "model legislation" (MN amendment) REQUIRES that the ID have a CURRENT address and demonstrates their ignorance about the aging process and the issue of homelessness.

For many as they age – their place of residence changes – from a home that they may have been in for decades – to living with a relative, to entering an assisted living residence, or moving to a care facility.

Just because someone had to show proof once does not mean they will have the means to pay to do so again, the means to have transportation to obtain new identification or the help of someone that is necessary to get through the bureaucratic red-tape that has now been established by the so-called “less government” Republicans.

One – and only one, there are more – segment of the Minnesota population that will be adversely affected by the ALEC Voter ID legislation turned Amendment that was pushed by ALEC State-Chair Mary Kiffmeyer – is our veterans.

AGING VETERANS
By the Numbers: A Snapshot of Minnesota Veterans
More than 400,000 Minnesota residents have served in the military — roughly 10 percent of the adult population.

There were 53,030 World War II veterans in Minnesota compared with 2.9 million nationally in 2007.

Minnesota Veterans who Served on Active Duty by Date of Service,
2007 Total


Pre-World War II (11/1941 or earlier)
962
World War II only (12/1941 to 12/1946)
47,895
Between Korean War and World War II
2,403
Korean War only (7/1950 to 1/1955)
49,101
Korean War and World War II
2,368
Between Vietnam Era and Korean War
51,537
Vietnam Era only (8/1964 to 4/1975)
137,155
Vietnam Era and Korean War
2,156
Vietnam Era, Korean War and World War II
364
MN VETERANS – RETIRED or NEARING RETIREMENT
293,941


A Veteran opposes voter ID



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HOMELESS VETERANS
Kiffmeyer’s original version of the ALEC Voter ID legislation redlined/deleted the following provision currently in Minnesota statutes
 (4) having a voter who is registered to vote in the precinct, or who is an employee  employed by and working in a residential facility in the precinct and vouching for a  resident in the facility, sign an oath in the presence of the election judge vouching that the  voter or employee personally knows that the individual is a resident of the precinct.

Historically – if a person lived in the homeless shelter – an employee in that homeless shelter could vouch for the residents at the polling station so the residents of the homeless shelter could vote.

In the future - if the Voter ID Amendment passes - that may no longer be the case.

Homeless veterans make up a subpopulation of Minnesota residents – and are another, but not the only segment of the population – that will be hurt by the proposed Voter ID Amendment.


Since 1991, at least 25 percent of the adult male homeless population in Minnesota has been made up of veterans.

The October 2003 survey found 26 percent with past military service (652 men). In addition, 2 percent of homeless adult women were military veterans (50 women).

Veterans make up approximately 15 percent of all homeless adults and 26 percent of all homeless adult males.


Numbers of homeless
   In total, the 2009 study identified 669 homeless veterans, including 605 men and 64 women, residing in emergency shelters, battered women’s shelters, and transitional housing programs or in non-sheltered locations. There were 65 children accompanying the interviewed veterans.
   The number of veterans identified in 2009 is 7 percent higher than in 2006 (up by 45 people).
   Overall, 1 in 10 homeless adults (11%) and approximately 1 in 5 homeless men (19%), served in the military at some time. By comparison, military veterans made up 10 percent of all adults in Minnesota, (19 percent of adult men and 1 percent of adult women).
   The vast majority of homeless veterans were male (90%). However, the number and proportion of homeless women veterans has increased greatly, more than doubling from 29 in 2006 to 64 in 2009.
   Forty-six percent of Minnesota’s homeless veterans are persons of color, even though persons of color make up less than 11 percent of the state’s overall population.
   Three-quarters (74%) of homeless veterans had been homeless more than once. One-quarter (24%) reported they had been homeless two to three times in their lives, 25 percent had been homeless four to seven times, and 25 percent had been homeless eight or more times. The average age they first became homeless was 33.8, and the median age was 32.

Today – on the MACV front page of their webpage:
Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been assisting veterans for over 21 years, helping over 5,500 veterans and their families. It is estimated that 1% of the veterans in this state, or close to 4,100, will experience an episode of homelessness this year. MACV is there to assist.

And as noted in the MN Insights Magazine
Since 1992, the Saint Paul-based Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) has helped veterans who need housing, employment and legal assistance. Historically, MACV has served mostly male veterans age 45 and older—but now, says MACV Executive Director Kathleen Vitalis, “it’s a whole different game. We’re serving a more diverse population that ranges in age from 18 to 92, and the number of clients we serve has increased nearly 60 percent since 2007.”

The potential of 300,00 veterans in Minnesota being affected by this disgusting ALEC legislation - turned amendment in Minnesota.

There is only one correct answer:

VOTE NO
on the VOTER ID Amendment
in November 2012

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