If the Republican Senate also passes it, voters in the general election this November will decide whether to amend the state's constitution to require that voters present a valid photo ID before they can cast a ballot.

A final vote in the Senate awaits. The bill would ask voters in November whether to amend the state's constitution to require voters present a valid photo ID before they participate in an election.

The Senate Local Government and Elections Committee passed the voter ID bill on a party-line vote, with DFLers opposing it. The measure has several more stops before it would appear on the November ballot as a proposed Constitutional amendment.

Proposals for a constitutional amendment requiring photo IDs at polls are just a step away from reaching the House and Senate floors, MinnPost reports. Constitutional amendments, if approved by the Legislature, go straight to voters. They do not require Gov. Dayton's signature, so he cannot veto them.

In a shocking upset, the voter ID amendment has failed, and by a sizable margin. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, the "no" votes led by nearly 8 percentage points, MPR says. The measure would have amended the state constitution to require voters to bring photo IDs to the polls.

Opponents of proposed Constitutional amendment requiring that voters show a photo ID have filed a lawsuit asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to take the question off the November ballot. Now a group supporting voter ID wants to intervene in the suit. Members of Minnesota Majority are not confident state officials will vigorously defend the amendment question at next month's hearing.

Minnesotans will vote this fall on a Constitutional amendment that would make a photo ID a requirement to vote. The Republican-backed measure passed the Legislature on party-line votes. Now supporters and critics of the change will ramp up campaigns to influence the public.

An all-Republican group drafted and passed a controversial bill that brings together the House and Senate proposals. The compromise plan now returns to the Legislature for a full and final vote, which would officially put it on the November ballot for voters to decide. The issue is highly partisan. It has been a key goal of the Republican majority but hasn't attracted any support from Democrats.