Date Published: September 21, 2006   

Norman criticizes Spratt's vote on photo ID bill

By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press Writer

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint and state Rep. Ralph Norman criticized incumbent U.S. Rep. John Spratt on Thursday for voting against a bill requiring Americans to show proof of citizenship to vote.

Republican sponsors of the voter identification bill said it was a commonsense way to stop fraud at the polls. The House passed the bill 228-196 on Wednesday.

Spratt, a Democrat seeking his 12th term in office against Norman, was among those voting against the measure. Democrats said the legislation could hurt minorities, the poor and the elderly who might have trouble producing photo identification.

"This bill is nothing more than a modern day poll tax," said Spratt spokesman Adam Harris.

Also, existing state and federal law already require valid ID and proof of residency to vote, Harris said.

The South Carolina voter registration application requires residents to answer whether they are a U.S. citizen and provide a Social Security number. At the polls, South Carolina law requires voters to provide a voter registration card, driver's license or other photo ID issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"Our opponent knows noncitizens can't vote. This is an election year ploy," Harris said. "It's ironic that so-called small-government proponents believe they can push down a Washington, D.C., one-size-fits-all solution onto South Carolina."

Norman called Spratt's reasoning a "lame excuse" against a commonsense requirement important to Americans. "The fact is, there ought to be a uniform law," he said.

Neither Norman nor DeMint could cite an instance where an illegal immigrant tried to vote in South Carolina.

Norman spokesman Rob Godfrey called it a preventive measure that ensures all states check a person's ID before voting. "Elections are too important to operate on an honor system," Godfrey said.

Harris said it's not surprising that two Republican lawmakers "who are a part of the same bunch who have put our nation into the fix it is in would rather draw attention to a bill that addresses a problem that doesn't exist rather than proposing real solutions for South Carolina."