Republicans move ahead despite criticism of voter reform bills

Republicans will press forward with two election reform bills despite objections from democrats. A House Committee today will consider a bill that would close the polls an hour earlier on election day. Representative Libby Jacobs, a republican from West Des Moines, defends the early closing.Jacobs says Iowa is one of just two states that keeps the polls open ’til nine. The bill calls for an eight o’clock closing of the polls. She says most auditors say there are not a lot of voters who cast ballots between 8 and 9 o’clock.There’s a second election reform bill that’s already cleared a Senate panel.Democrats accuse Republicans of trying to establish a “poll tax” by forcing Iowans to show a photo I-D to vote, as many low income and elderly Iowans would have to spend 10-bucks to get a photo I-D because they don’t have a driver’s license. Senator Steve King, a republican from Kiron, says that’s a red herring. He says if you’re against using photo I-Ds, then you must be for voter fraud. King says nearly everyone has a driver’s license. He says you have to show an I-D to get on an airplane and to buy cigarettes and alcohol. He says the right to vote is more sacred than all of those things.