Proposition 200 causes few headaches at polls

Matthew Benson The Arizona Republic Mar. 15, 2006 12:00 AM

There were no widespread reports of problems Tuesday in the first elections held under the new voter-identification requirements of Proposition 200.

Although mandated to prevent voter fraud, the new rules stirred fears from some voter advocates that disenfranchisement and intimidation would result. Minor inconvenience and slight confusion appeared instead.

The Maricopa County elections call center received about 30 calls dealing with problems tied to Proposition 200, spokeswoman Yvonne Reed said. An additional 10 calls from poll workers around the county reported other minor issues.

Most issues involved confusion.

A few voters reported casting ballots without providing the full battery of identification. Others were frustrated with poll workers sticking too closely to the letter of the law.

The Arizona Advocacy Network and Metro Phoenix League of Women Voters surveyed roughly 500 voters leaving polling places in heavily Hispanic areas of Mesa. Advocacy Network Executive Director Linda Brown said most voters were having little problem.

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Most voters avoid ID problems at polls By Sarah N. Lynch, Tribune March 14, 2006

All of the publicity about the new requirement to bring identification to the polls on Tuesday has seemingly paid off. Most people did not seem to have any trouble, said elections director Karen Osborne.

The Maricopa County Elections Department received word of only two voters who showed up at the polls without identification, spokeswoman Yvonne Reed said Tuesday.

One of these instances occurred in Mesa, but Reed wasnt sure where the other occurred. In both cases, the voters who did not bring ID were given the option of casting a conditional provisional ballot.

The Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale city clerks also noted they had not heard of any problems at the polling places.

There were between 20 and 25 calls made from polling places to the county elections department by poll workers who had ID-related questions. An additional 45 to 50 members of the public called the countys hotline to ask about ID as well, Osborne said.

In only a handful of cases, residents took issue with the new requirements and refused to display ID.

The November 2004 approval of Proposition 200 requires voters to show either one photo ID at the polls or two pieces of nonphoto ID. Those without it can return with ID or fill out a conditional provisional ballot and provide ID within three days.

Contact Sarah N. Lynch by email, or phone (480) 898-6535