If no one is planning to stand outside the Wilkinson County courthouse Monday with a voter ID petition and a pen, someone should.

The August 2007 election in Woodville could easily be the poster child for the statewide campaign to require Mississippi voters to show a picture-ID at the polls.

Connie Hollins, who allegedly hand-delivered three absentee ballots to Jackson and assisted the recipients in voting, is the only person being prosecuted in what began as a storm of allegations after the initial election.

And if the prosecution proves that Hollins did, in fact, participate in illegal voting practices, she should be punished.

Wilkinson County was, and many would say has been, a hotbed of political scandal. Tampering with votes steals the very democratic process that makes our nation great.

Anyone found guilty of violating voting laws needs to be made an example of if we hope to ever have fair elections.

But greater than the outcome of next week’s trial are the efforts of many Mississippians to get voter identification laws passed.

Legislators have time and again said “no” to voter ID for reasons that don’t hold water.

Let’s turn our heads to Wilkinson County Monday, get out our pens and start signing those petitions for change.