You should know this because voter ID is one of the most debated topics in American politics, especially in recent years (SAVE America Act). On one hand, there’s election integrity, and on the other, voter access.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/46320788
Of these states, six have Democratic trifectas, 23 have Republican trifectas, and seven have divided governments. There are currently 14 states that do not require identification at the polls outside of what is required by federal law. Of these 14 states, 10 have Democratic trifectas, and four have a divided government.
I just don’t get it. Why wouldn’t you have to show I.D at a polling station?
IDs varies greatly in the US. They are not federal, they are not free, and the difficulty of obtaining the documents to get your ID often disproportionately affects poor people. In the US we banned poll taxes for many of the reasons people oppose these voter ID laws.
Because not everyone is capable of getting an ID. For one, they’re not free, so requiring one is effectively a voting tax, preventing the poorest of our community members from having a say in our government.
Two, even if they were free monetarily, they’re not free to get in terms of time. If you’re working 16 hours a day at 2 jobs for example, when are you supposed to take time to go to the DMV to get an ID or license? This is particularly hard for, again, poorer people who have to work multiple jobs to stay afloat.
Three, there really is no problem that requiring an ID at a polling station solves. Of the BILLIONS of votes in the Heritage Foundation’s (a VERY conservative thinktank, the one Trump tapped for most of his judicial nominations) database recording voter fraud events, they have a little more than 1000 instances of SUSPECTED voter fraud. That’s about 0.0001% of votes cast are suspected to be fraudulent by the people trying to push the policy to correct the problem.
Meanwhile, these laws prevent more people from voting legally each election than have ever been suspected of voting fraudulantly since we have been keeping records. They are doing research to find the specific forms of IDs the people who vote against them tend to have or not have, and explicitly targetting them to ensure as few votes against them are allowed to be cast. It is an inheirently undemocratic solution to a problem which the proponents of the policy openly state does not exist.
Losing or having your wallet stolen should not disenfranchise a voter.
also mentioning that they likely require things proof of citizenship, which is much more difficult than getting a dmv license.
I voted for a couple decades by just saying my name and having it crossed off the list, and back then the rate of voter fraud was basically zero just like it is after adding a barrier that keeps some people from voting.
Voter ID laws only exist to make it harder for poor people and minorities to vote.
It’s still basically zero.
there was fraud, but its mostly on the REPUBLICAN side or caused by republicans, and funny how it never gets reported. just like the election autopsy isnt getting reported because they dont want it released, granted the dnc doesnt want it to get released.
you have no way to know given what you describe
The zero thing was hyperbole, but there are numbers available. Voter fraud has never been significant enough to matter, despite being non zero.
And no, not everyone can obtain the mandated IDs. It’s a real problem specifically because the mandated IDs are harder to get for the poor amd disenfranchised.
its a method of voter suppression , and only every gop used it thats why. its a burdensome fee, and not many people, mainly AA people can get one right away. likely you will have to show 2 or more proofs of CITIZENSHIP, which can be difficult for most people and LICENSES dont count. valid passports, certificate of naturalization, birth certificate is actually quite difficult to get. for passports only some places have the option to apply one, USPS and then you have to book appointments too, which can be booked weeks to months in advance.
Shouldn’t the logic be the other way? Why would you need to?
I’ve never had to do this and there’s never been an issue so it seems like a solution in search of a problem to me.
In plenty of countries, you have to bring ID when you vote. Many also require you to have ID (and in the Netherlands you have to have it with you at all times).
Right?
The things that require ID: starting a job, buying beer, buying cigarettes, using government services, using healthcare services, etc, etc.
I guess 14 states are ripe for stolen elections.
This is just conspiricism with no basis. There has never been any evidence of any noteworthy amount of voter fraud in US history. Even the Heritage Foundation has marked only ~1000 votes as POTENTIALLY fraudulent out of billions (less than 0.0001%)
Specifically individual voter fraud, which voter ID claims to be fighting. Now, voter fraud in the masses via ballot manipulation, voter disenfranchising, gerrymandering, minimizing poll locations and times, etc. THAT is a thing, but has nothing to do with people having IDs, and all to do with people in power making sure they stay there.
And guess which ones support both voter ID and all of those tactics. Yeah, we all know. It’s the only way they stay in power. They can’t win by just their positions on policy. Never could. If they could win fairly, they never would have pursued gaming the system.
The forms of fraud you are listing are election fraud, which IS obviously very common (and according to the Supreme Court, very legal now)
and all the fraud has been in GOP controlled states. most of the stuff they claimed, like ballot stuffing, or dead people voting came from republican strongholds.
I guarantee that election issues will pop up regardless of ID laws in a state. Because that isn’t the problem, and never was. It is just another way to target certain demographics that tend to vote a certain way. A form of disenfranchisement.
Source - it happens constantly, in every recent election. If you haven’t heard about all the efforts to stop some people from voting, then you must not live in a state where it’s a regular thing.
its voter suppression: gerrymandering only works to an extent thats why use voter id, removal of polling places, drop boxs, times when polling places are open on certain days,etc.
Generally, the things you bring up are privileges, not rights.
no those only require your license or SSN, not proof of citizenships ;which is a updated passport, naturalization papers, birth certificate which are quite difficult to acquire. even getting a real ID is very annoying. additionally the clerks might not believe its valid for one reason or another too.
a naturalization paper can cost several hundred apparently you have to make an appointment with the agency responsible for it. birth certificate is slightly easier, pay more online service or go in person.