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Sky falls on head of 'Chicken Little' bill

April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 25, 2007 at midnight

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A Republican bill requiring Colorado residents to show a certified birth certificate or U.S. passport to vote died a quick death Wednesday, with critics calling it a "Chicken Little" solution to cracking down on illegal immigration.

Democrats have snuffed similar GOP measures five times during the past year, saying there is no documented evidence that illegal immigrants are registering to vote or lining up at the ballot box.

"I see it as a Chicken Little response to immigration," said Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver. "It's a solution looking for a problem that doesn't exist."

Senate Bill 65 requires proof of U.S. citizenship before Colorado residents may register to vote. The measure exempts current registered voters, overseas military personnel and other overseas voters that apply to register by federal postcard application.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said proof of citizenship is a small price to pay to ensure the integrity of Colorado's elections.

"I think we need assurances that everyone voting is a U.S. citizen," he said, noting that illegal immigrants are using fake documents to get jobs and to attempt to get state ID cards or licenses.

"At this point, we have to have integrity in the process. I don't think it's too much of a burden for residents to prove citizenship to vote." he said.

Backers of the measure say the problem is that federal law simply requires registered voters to sign an affidavit attesting they are U.S. citizens.

The state's new anti-immigration law, HB 1023, which requires proof of citizenship to receive most government benefits, does not apply to voter registration.

The Colorado League of Women Voters and the American Civil Liberties Union argued the identification requirements would discourage the elderly, minorities and the poor from voting.

They contend that many Coloradans do not have ready access to birth certificates or a U.S. passport, which costs more than a $100 to obtain.