State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) said Tuesday he is very pleased that a Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) poll shows Tennesseans continue to express strong support for the state’s new voter identification law after implementation.  The poll, conducted by MTSU’s Survey Group, showed 81 percent of Tennesseans continue to support the law, which took effect Jan. 1, and has applied to numerous elections conducted since that date.

“We continue to have strong support for this law both in Tennessee and nationwide,” said Senator Ketron. “But, it is very reassuring that voters in our state continue to overwhelmingly favor it after the law has been put into practice.”

The poll showed that “four out of every five Tennessee likely voters approve of the state’s new law requiring people to show an approved photo ID before voting. Just 16 percent oppose the measure, and 3 percent are unsure.”  In his detailed analysis, Dr. Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Survey Group, wrote, “What opposition there is to the photo ID requirement is strongest among Democrats, 34 percent of whom oppose the law compared to only about 13 percent of independents and about four percent of Republicans.”

The poll was conducted through telephone interviews during the week of Oct. 16-21.The MTSU Survey Group reported 609 poll respondents were interviewed.

Earlier this month, a Rasmussen national telephone survey reported 71 percent of voters nationwide favor voter identification.  That poll also said 66 percent of likely U.S. voters believe voter fraud is a serious problem in America today.

“Voters are smart enough to realize that there is a problem, regardless of claims to the contrary,” said Mr. Ketron.  “I am very pleased our constitutional right to put this law into place in Tennessee was upheld last week.  I also am hopeful that our Judiciary will overturn the Appeals Court decision to accept library cards after further review as our intent to only accept state- and federally-issued photo identification was clear.  We considered alternative means, but after reviewing the process decided that the safeguards were not in place to ensure the integrity of the ballot like state- and federal-issued identification."  

“Our right to vote is one of the most sacred symbols of our freedoms. Requiring photo ID to vote will help maintain the integrity of elections in our state and the purity of the ballot box,” he concluded.