Election Commissioner Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei has defended fees now charged by the Election Office for replacement voter ID cards and dismisses suggestions that the fee is a polling tax.
An undated notice posted at the Election Office with the subject ‘Lost/Replaced voter ID and Name Changes’ states, “Effective immediately, voters seeking replacement cards and name change must now pay a fee of $5 to produce a new ID card; a second request for replacement is $10. These changes are made to offset cost attributed to these lost/replaced registrations cards.”
Dr. Uiagalelei explained that the Election Office is charging this fee for people who are continually seeking replacement ID cards. He says some come to their office at least 2-5 times to get replacement voter ID cards saying they’ve lost the old cards.
He showed KHJ News a report by his office that in the last election they had to produce 306 replacement cards.
It cost more than $10 to produce one Voter ID card said the Election Commissioner.
Dr. Uiagalelei said the Election Office will not deny anyone from exercising their right to vote at the polls.
If voters show up on Election Day and their names are on the list of registered voters they can use a passport, driver’s license or other official ID to vote.
He stressed that if anyone cannot pay for a replacement ID card, he/she will not be denied a voter ID.
The Election Commissioner pointed out all those who register for the first time will get free voter ID cards.
But if they come back two or three times saying they’ve lost their cards, they will be charged for replacement voter ID cards.
“We want every eligible voter to participate in the elections, “said Dr. Uiagalelei. “We are not trying to make things difficult for voters. We use our discretion for voters that are abusing the free voter IDs.”
According to him, the law gives the Election Commissioner discretion to charge such fees.
But a high school teacher, who posted the Election Office notice about the fees on FaceBook, quoted ASCA Section 6.1001, 6.1002 6.1002, which states in part that all expenses, including expenses attributable to registration of qualified voters shall be borne by the government and paid by appropriation by the Legislature under the Election Officebudget.
