Carding Democracy
In recent years, more and more states—fueled by exaggerated fears of fraudulent voting—have enacted laws requiring that a voter present photographic identification at the polls.
Although details of the laws vary, they all deter otherwise-eligible voters from going to the polls. Those hit hardest are the same groups traditionally marginalized in our election process: African Americans, Spanish speakers, low-income individuals, disabled voters, and youth.
The stated rationale for the measures—preventing voter fraud—is baseless. Photo ID laws prevent only one kind of voter fraud: impersonation at the polling place, in which an individual poses as a particular eligible voter and votes as that person. This sort of voter fraud is extremely rare.
The impact of this “solution” to the phantom problem of voter impersonation is not trifling; millions of dollars must be devoted to implementation, free IDs, and voter education. While photo ID exacts a steep financial cost, disenfranchising our most vulnerable citizens takes an incalculable toll on democracy.
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Election Legislation Hearings of the Week
Hearings for important election bills are scheduled as follows: Read more
Voter ID Advances in S.C.; Citizen Activist Campaign Quashed in Wis.
The contentious voter ID issue has caused some ruckus in at least two states this week. Read more
Mo.Voter ID Debate is Down to the Wire: Early Voting Provision Rejected by Advocates
The Missouri legislature is once again pushing a controversial measure to combat a mythical problem in the state—registration and voter... Read more
Va. Adjourns with Many Key Bills Expected to Return in 2011
Virginia’s 2010 legislative session began January 13 and continued until March13. Overwhelmingly, the commonwealth’s budget crisis took center stage in... Read more
Voter ID is “a Lot to Have to Go Through for a Constitutional Right,” says Indiana Judge
Although the 2008 presidential election showed unprecedented increases in turnout from underrepresented citizens, their rates of voter registration and participation... Read more
Indiana Voter ID Case to be Heard in State Supreme Court Today
Six months after being struck down as unconstitutional for exempting absentee voters, Indiana’s contentious voter ID law may once again... Read more
Voter ID Initiative May Be on Mississippi Ballot, According to State GOP
Mississippi voters may vote on a voter ID measure in November 2011, said state Republicans this week. According to the... Read more
Voter ID Debate Weathers Storm: Bill Passes in S.C., another Brews in Missouri
After the state Supreme Court shut down Indiana’s contentious photo voter ID law as unconstitutional last September for unfairly exempting... Read more
Indianapolis Star: Court to Hear Appeal on Voter ID Law
Yesterday, the Indiana Supreme Court announced it would hear an appeal in a case challenging Indiana’s photo voter ID law,... Read more
Dangerous Election Bills Introduced in Virginia
The Virginia General Assembly is busily grinding out bills that will make it considerably more difficult for Virginians to cast ballots that count. In recent years, voter ID laws have cropped up in states across the country, aimed to stymie a source of fraud that simply does not exist, and Virginia is no different. Under current law, if a voter does not or cannot produce appropriate identification at the polls, the voter can simply sign a sworn document attesting his or her identity, then cast a regular ballot. Proposed legislation in both the House of Delegates and the Senate aims to take this option away from Virginia voters and place still more stringent restrictions on the kinds of ID that are accepted. Read more