When discussing elections and voting, people often drop the buzz words “voter disenfranchisement.” In other words, they argue that policy makers should oppose legislation that might obstruct potential voters from casting their votes.

Ballot access is a Constitutional right and ballot security ensures that this right is upheld. Unfortunately, California is not protecting the democratic process.

Voter fraud caused by lack of ballot security disenfranchises citizens. When individuals who are ineligible to vote, such as felons, illegal immigrants, non-residents, and people with false identities vote, they skew the results, and the voice of all citizens becomes diluted.

Currently, there are no laws in California requiring proper identification to prevent unqualified people from voting. Clearly, California’s voting system needs improvement. Fraud discourages voters from participating in our democratic process—why vote if your opinions do not count? It’s time to give Californians a reason to vote again and allow all voices to be heard.

I introduced legislation, Senate Bill 370, which restores confidence and strengthens the integrity of California’s voting process.

SB 370 offers four key solutions:

Requires voters to show proof of identification at the polls.

Extends the absentee deadline for military voters who’s ballots were cast on time but arrive later due to limited mail service.

Increases privacy for absentee ballot voters.

Makes a person on probation for the conviction of a felony not eligible to register to vote, and would, as of Jan.1, 2011, requireelection officials to cancel their voter registration upon notice from the court of the conviction.

Like so many Republican bills, these bills died quick deaths at the hands of the Democrat majority. It seems they prefer to let everyone vote regardless of citizenship, residency, or criminal record. The heart of Democratic opposition is Voter ID, claiming that some people will not be able to obtain identification.

No problem. SB 370 would authorize people without proof of identification to cast a provisional ballot after completing an affidavit that he or she is a registered voter. And there is no cost to the voter.

And by the way, what’s wrong with asking voters to produce identification? In an age of skyrocketing identity thefts, identification has become a necessary function—especially for something as important as voting.

Furthermore, are Democrats really condescending enough to think that the elderly, poor and minorities are too incompetent to obtain the proper identification?

California is no Lone Ranger for demanding Voter ID; many other states already make the requirement. The Texas Legislature passed a Voter ID measure recently and the Indiana law, one of the most stringent in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

The states that don’t require Voter ID belong to a minority – especially when compared to the rest of the world.

“We’re the only country in the world — the only country in the world — that operates on the honor system when it comes to elections,” said John Fund, a Wall Street Journal columnist and author of the book “Stealing Elections: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy,” to a Texas reporter in April.

In order to preserve the democratic institutions of our nation, the absolute integrity of the ballot must be upheld. The people cannot be heard on Election Day when their voices are being muzzled by voter fraud.