Letter about photo ID
is not voter suppression…
To the Editor,
The commentary claiming voter ID is voter suppression reminded me of a fall 2013 trip to Norway during their general election. In the Trondheim library I happened to observe early voting. The voter would present their ID to a lady behind a table and she would give them a ballot. When the lady was not busy I asked her if the voter’s ID had a photo. She promptly replied: “Of course, we must know you are who you are.”
Sounded logical to me, but I wondered if this was a Norwegian consensus. So I went out to Kongen Gate (King St.) a pedestrian only street where the various political parties have small kiosks staffed with party representatives. I was able to ask these folks if they thought the photo ID was “voter suppression.” The answers I received ranged from “that’s nuts,” “that’s really stupid,” to “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!” And I inquired of all the parties from the Communists, Reds and Socialist Lefts to the Conservatives and Fremskritts Parties.
Yes, Norway may seem quite liberal but also imbued with a remarkable amount of common sense!
David Amdahl
Decorah, Iowa