This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The June 15 Tribune featured an editorial cartoon of a Republican elephant carrying a file of "picture ID initiatives" walking alongside an invisible rabbit labeled "voter fraud." The Republican elephant is saying, "My imaginary friend and I are on a mission to keep minorities away from the polls!"
Over the past several years, dozens of voter ID initiatives have been introduced in many state legislatures. Coincidence? This surge stems from model legislation written in 2009 by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative membership organization of state legislators and corporations.
ALEC has developed model legislation intruding into every aspect of our lives: health care, democracy, education, environment, energy, labor, immigration and more.
Is this what democracy should look like? One secretive organization writing bills for legislatures? Find out if your Utah legislators are members of ALEC.
And get involved. ALEC will be in Salt Lake City for its annual national meeting, July 23-28.
Joan M. Gregory
Salt Lake City