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I did not read all the 180+ responses so maybe this was discussed. But it is not just showing an ID that is the problem but the ID has to have the same address as your voter registration. Many people, especially lower income, move a lot. My college age niece moves at least every six months - moves in with a boyfriend, moves out with girlfriend, moves back with mom, finds a cheaper apartment, etc. If you renew your driver's license once a year and correct your address (which I realize is no longer the case in many states but multi-year drivers licenses are more expensive), this makes it difficult. Yes, she is probably voting in the wrong precinct and is incorrectly voting for the wrong local state representative or the wrong city commissioner. But do you want to deter young people from having a choice in choosing their national and state elected officials for this reason? Of course she could correct this before the next election but she is just not that organized - she goes to college and has a part time job. But that should not prevent her from voting.
I got asked to show my ID once while voting at my regular precinct. The elderly female poll worker did not ask others for their ID but glared at me as I pulled out my drivers license. Most of my neighbors are elderly and most of the women are housewives. I was voting after work and in dressed in business attire. Apparently she thought a young professional woman did not belong in that precinct. Yes, it made me angry.
We will see how strong that bipartisan support holds after the next Presidential election. If it turns out that ID's are hard to get, or if they start closing polling places, or limiting early voting I think you will see that support dwindle rather quickly because people will see voter ID laws for exactly what they are - a way to keep people from voting.
Firstly there is going to be few people that are going to fall into this category of not having an ID, those that don't will get one and it's easy process of renewal from there. As far as the other things you are claiming if the results from North Carolina are any indication it holds no water. Minority participation actually increased a few percentage points and in other states with similar laws it's stable.
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In my opinion if Republicans were really worried about voter fraud they would not have been so desirous of this scheme of photo IDs requiring going through all sorts of machinations to get one,
This is actually federal law, look up "real ID". The tougher documentation requirements are to standardize state ID's and help prevent fraudulent ID's from being issued. This was passed after 9/11, it's kind of pointless to have an ID if you handing them out like candy.
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but would have required your fingerprint when you register to vote and your fingerprint when you vote. Any cases of alleged fraud could be easily resolved, a computer can scan and match 40,000 fingerprints per second. Quick, easy, cheap and does not require people to jump through hoops to be able to vote.
You complain about inconveniencing a small minority and then suggest you inconvenience the entire population. The fact is most people are already going to have an ID and as I noted previously once implemented you can take advantage of this to streamline the voting process. You could for example eliminate the registration process altogether for those with a state issued ID.
I think it's inevitable that fingerprinting or some other biometrics will be needed for absentee ballots or online voting if it were ever implemented but that's a whole other matter than in person voting.
I did not read all the 180+ responses so maybe this was discussed. But it is not just showing an ID that is the problem but the ID has to have the same address as your voter registration. Many people, especially lower income, move a lot. My college age niece moves at least every six months - moves in with a boyfriend, moves out with girlfriend, moves back with mom, finds a cheaper apartment, etc. If you renew your driver's license once a year and correct your address (which I realize is no longer the case in many states but multi-year drivers licenses are more expensive), this makes it difficult. Yes, she is probably voting in the wrong precinct and is incorrectly voting for the wrong local state representative or the wrong city commissioner. But do you want to deter young people from having a choice in choosing their national and state elected officials for this reason? Of course she could correct this before the next election but she is just not that organized - she goes to college and has a part time job. But that should not prevent her from voting.
Your niece's situation could easily be resolved with states that offer voter registration concurrently with driver's licenses. If you're registered to vote, and you're changing your address on your drivers license, then change your registration at the same time.
But, if as you say, "she could correct this before the next election but she is just not that organized", then it is her own fault.
I moved a great deal when I was younger, but I always made sure my voter registration was current before elections. I considered that my responsibility.
??? When you register to vote, you provide documentation to do so.
You have not heard of motor votor? The registration process varies by state and in some cases that documentation to register is the same thing required to get your free ID. As I've already mentioned this could be used to streamline the process and eliminate the need for registration altogether unless you have cases like change of address etc.
The problem with the registration is just becsue it's you that registered by whatever means doesn't mean it's you that is voting. Pew estimates that 1 in 8 registrations are invalid or significantly inaccurate. That is not to suggest they are all fraudulent or being used to commit voter fraud, it does highlight the potential for fraud.
Research commissioned by the Pew Center on the States highlights the extent of the challenge:
Approximately 24 million—one of every eight—voter registrations in the United States are no longer valid or are significantly inaccurate.
More than 1.8 million deceased individuals are listed as voters.
Approximately 2.75 million people have registrations in more than one state.
Bottom line is there is small percentage of the population that will not have ID and once they obtain one they only have to renew it every 4 years. It's hardly a burden.
I lived for decades without ID. I didn't have a driver's license, so no ID. People who live in rural areas may be hard-pressed to go into the city to get a state ID. But the thing is, there's no need to show ID at the polling station. It's very rare for people to vote illegally. What is much more common is voter suppression; using various means to keep people from voting. That's the problem that needs to be addressed, not the dozen or so people nationwide who manage to vote twice, or vote without being citizens. Voter suppression is widespread, as has been proven in Congressional investigations over several Presidential elections.
It was a lot more than a dozen or so according to things that came out after the 2012 election. Then we have voter intimidation with the Black Panthers in PA in 2012, that got swept under the rug....
Why is it so hard/difficult to get a photo ID ? It's not. If it is that difficult or hard to understand the process, the person has no business trying to evaluate the candidates and shouldn't vote. That's plain ignorance in my estimation. I don't consider myself the smartest person on the block but, I ask a lot of questions if it is something I have to do or complete......that's how you learn and grow and become self
sufficient. Just like training kids.......and you shouldn't have to hold their hands forever.
Voter fraud, the act of someone voting who shouldn't, is almost non-existent.
There is absolutely no way to determine the amount of voter fraud without identifying the voter and "almost none existent" means it could affect close races one of which was a Presidential election.
You have not heard of motor votor? The registration process varies by state and in some cases that documentation to register is the same thing required to get your free ID. As I've already mentioned this could be used to streamline the process and eliminate the need for registration altogether unless you have cases like change of address etc.
I had never heard of motor voter. After googling, it is available in my state which was forced to implement it in 2010 after a lawsuit with a voting rights group. However my state is ranked 48th in compliance with the initiative and is on the chopping block to have it taken away by the feds due to poor state oversight of the process. And I don't remember seeing anything about it when I went to the DMV to renew my license a couple of years ago.
i recently moved to another state and it took me about 3 weeks and 3 trips to the dmv to get a new drivers license. i have 3 weeks of pto so i was able to use some of it while waiting in line at the dmv. i needed to obtain my social security card which took time to dig up during the move. i am older so my birth certificate didnt have a raised seal on it so i had to call the city hall where i was born and requisition a new one.
my electric bill had my first initial, middle name, last name on it and my fone bill had my first name, middle initial, last name on it; they told me they did not match. my previous car registration had all three names printed out but had my old address on it so they said it was in-admissible.
i understand identity fraud is a big deal now so i dont think it was a racial issue. i am college educated so i have the time and know-how to navigate the ss-administration/city hall/us cutoms house to get what i need. i wouldnt assume a fast food worker from rural alabama to have those same skills.
if its this hard for the rich it must be close to impossible for the poor.
Do the poor have the ability to get their ID for food stamps, supplimental SSI, welfare, for buying alcohol and cigarettes. Yes. So I guess it is not that hard.
Do the poor have the ability to get their ID for food stamps, supplimental SSI, welfare, for buying alcohol and cigarettes. Yes. So I guess it is not that hard.
In applying for benefits, most states have alternative ways to prove your identity if you don't have a photo ID, and not all people who don't have a photo ID are on welfare.
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