Lawsuit filed to block voter-identification petition

From staff and wire reports

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014 | 4 p.m.

CARSON CITY — A lawsuit has been filed in District Court to block attempts at a petition initiative that would require voters to show identification before casting ballots.

The suit, filed in Carson City on Wednesday, is aimed at stopping former U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle and her supporters from gathering signatures to qualify the petition for the 2014 election.

It argues the proposed constitutional amendment illegally commands the Legislature to enact the law and intrudes on powers reserved for the legislative branch.

Angle’s initiative would require election officials to issue free voter identification cards that contain photographs to anyone who does not have a valid photo ID issued by a government entity.

The lawsuit argues the free cards amount to an unfunded mandate in violation of a constitutional provision requiring any initiative that involves an expense to include a funding source. It further claims a “description of effect” — a required summary of what the law would do — is lacking.

The action was brought by Clark County residents Emmanuel Alfaro and Rosa Mendoza against the group One Vote Nevada PAC and Secretary of State Ross Miller, Nevada’s chief election officer.

Angle, who ran against U.S. Sen. Harry Reid and lost in 2010, could not be reached for comment.

Supporters of the petition would have to gather more than 100,000 signatures of Nevada voters to put the issue before voters in November.

Las Vegas Sun reporter Cy Ryan and the Associated Press reporter Sandra Chereb contributed to this report.