A U.S. Supreme Court decision on a Voter ID case has empowered supporters of the same in Kansas.

With a 6-3 ruling Monday, the high court decided to uphold an Indiana law mandating voters to show photo identification before voting -- ruling that Indiana could enforce the requirement as a way to prevent fraud without violating constitutional voting rights.

The news pleased Kansas state Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, an ardent supporter of a similar proposal pending in the Legislature, one he hoped could gain momentum during the current wrap-up session.

According to Huelskamp, at a time it's routine to show photo ID to cash a check or board an airplane, for example, something as important as voting warrants the same safeguard.

But the problem with such proposals embraced by conservative Republicans is that they unfairly target segments of the population, including the poor and minorities, who may not have such IDs -- and who also happen to be the people who traditionally vote Democratic.

Huelskamp and other supporters of such change maintain they suspect illegal immigrants are voting, but have yet to offer proof.

That's because none exists. It's laughable that people think immigrants here illegally are rushing to polling places and demanding ballots to vote, at the risk of being discovered.

And no evidence exists of any other sort of voter fraud that a voter ID requirement would deter, anyway.

With that in mind, Kansas lawmakers shouldn't be swayed by the Indiana case, and should resist the urge to address a problem that doesn't exist -- and in reality is just another case of fear-mongering where immigrants are concerned. Legislation should be driven by facts, not fear.

It's worth noting that one group working to educate the electorate, register voters and make government more accessible and responsive to citizens -- the League of Women Voters -- rightly views ID requirements as creating unnecessary barriers to the process.

Clean elections are paramount. But getting more voters to participate in the democratic process is, as well.

Voter turnout already is dismal. Kansans would be better served by focusing on ways to encourage people to vote, rather than creating more reasons for people to pass on heading to the polls.