Why is voter identification needed?

The right to vote has been threatened for as long as that right has existed.  In the past, there has been voter intimidation, educational requirements, and even fraudulent calculation of the votes.  Today, we don’t see such blatantly visible manipulations of the system, but threats do still exist.

We have seen a trend of the last several year toward some kind of voter identification to combat recent attacks on the integrity of the electoral system.  However, what should be a debate on preserving the integrity of the electoral system has become a source of political division.

Democrat’s Views

According to democrats.org, “Democrats have a long and proud history of fighting for voting rights that continues to this day. Organizers and activists have fought and bled for their right to vote, and Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act in 1965 was the culmination of all of their hard work and sacrifice.

The Supreme Court’s decision to gut key provisions of the Voting Rights Act means that many voters needlessly face difficulties in the voting process, from registering to casting a ballot to having their votes counted.”

Voter identification laws disproportionately affect women, communities of color, young people, the elderly, low-income individuals, and disabled voters, as well as military members and veterans.

Republican Views

According to gop.com, the Republican platform says, “Honest elections are the foundation of representative government. We pledge to protect the voting rights of every citizen, as well as their rights of conscience when they are harassed or denied a job because of their contributions to a candidate or a cause. We support state efforts to ensure ballot access for the elderly, the handicapped, military personnel, and all legitimate voters. We urge state and local officials to take all appropriate steps to allow voters to cast their ballots in a timely manner. We are concerned, however, that some voting procedures may be open to abuse. For this reason, we support legislation to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and secure photo ID when voting. We strongly oppose litigation against states exercising their sovereign authority to enact such laws. In addition, to guarantee that everyone’s vote is counted, we urge that electronic voting systems have a voter-verified paper audit trail. We urge every state to join the Interstate Voter Registration Cross Check Program to keep voter rolls accurate and to prevent people from voting in more than one state in the same election.”

We All Agree

Both the Democrats and the Republicans say they want to protect the voting rights of every citizen.  So why is there so much conflict over how this should be accomplished.  Democrats say NO to voter identification because it restricts access for the poor, elderly and minorities.  Republicans say voter identification ensures that each voter’s vote is counted and the value of that vote is not diminished by non-citizens voting or individuals voting more than once.  If we all agree, can’t we find a solution?

Well, actually, we did agree on a solution.  In September of 2005, the American University’s bipartisan Commission of Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by President Jimmy Carter and former secretary of state James Baker, published a 113 page document including election reform recommendations on a variety of fronts. On the subject of voter identification they wrote :

The electoral system cannot inspire public confidence if no safeguards exist to deter or detect fraud or to confirm the identity of voters. Photo IDs currently are needed to board a plane, enter federal buildings, and cash a check. Voting is equally important.

24 Things That Require A Photo ID

1. Purchasing an alcoholic beverage – This may not affect everyone.
2. Purchasing cigarettes – Once again, doesn’t affect everyone, but it tends to be more prevalent with the poor.
3. Opening a bank account – This would include check cashing services
4. Applying for food stamps – Typically used by the poor, not the rich
5. Applying for Medicaid or Social Security – Used by the poor, disabled and elderly
6. Applying for welfare – Usually needed by the poor
7. Applying for a job or unemployment – needed by everyone except maybe the über rich
8. Buying or renting a house or apartment – needed by everyone not living with their parents
9. Driving, renting or buying a car – Most people have or will do this in their life time
10. Flying on an airplane – This one may not be necessary to life, but definitely convenient if you travel much
11. Getting married –  The Democrats have been very focused on everyone being able to get married lately
12. Purchasing a gun – This is a right protected by the Constitution, but nobody is upset about having to have an ID
13. Rent a hotel room – Everyone is likely to stay in a hotel once in their lives
14. Apply for a hunting license – Not for everyone, but usually prominent in poor rural communities
15. Adopting a pet – This could include almost anyone.
16. Applying for a fishing license – Not for everyone, but usually prominent in poor rural communities
17. Buying mobile phone service – When’s the last time you met someone who didn’t have a mobile phone?
18. Visiting a casino – How many elderly folks go on field trips to casinos?
19. Picking up a prescription – To receive medications from a pharmacy you will need a photo ID!
20. Donating blood
21. Holding a rally or a protest – We see a lot of minority groups holding protest lately, wonder how they managed to get an ID?
22. Purchasing nail polish at CVS
23. Purchasing certain cold medicines
24. Buying an “M” rated video game

Will Voter Identification Laws Reduce Turnout?

The main arguments used by those against voter identification requirements is that it will be a barrier to low-income citizens, disenfranchising the poor and reducing Election Day turnout.  Many have even made the claim, requiring voter IDs is a tool of voter suppression.

However, a study by the University of Missouri in 2008 demonstrated this was not the case.  In fact, Indiana’s first election after its voter ID law took effect actually saw their turn out increased.  Data from a similar study by the Brennan Center concluded that “concerns about voter identification laws affecting turnout are much ado about nothing,” finding that such laws had no effect on turnout, even across racial/ethnic/socio-economic strata.

Restriction or Requirement?

Many of those who are against voter identification laws love using the words “voter restrictions to suppress” certain voters.  This carries with it connotations of pre-Voting Rights Act activities.  In fact, the ACLU, in an article about Nelson Mandela, said voter identification requirements are “shameless voter suppression tactics and states’ unprecedented efforts to disenfranchise voters by preventing them from registering, voting, or having their vote counted.”

But I have to ask – Is having insurance to drive a car a requirement or a restriction to keep the economically challenged from being allowed to drive?

Is the Affordable Care Act, a restriction or a requirement?

We all deal with requirements everyday of our lives, but seldom do we try to claim they are restrictions unless it is a requirement that you show some sort of voter identification (something almost everyone already has)  Then it becomes a shameless voter suppression restriction!

So, Can An Election Be Rigged?

To be honest, it would take a lot of voter fraud to truly influence the final outcome of a Federal Election.  In very close elections, such as, the 2012 Presidential election, the state of Ohio was lost by Romney by a very small margin.  Later, we found out that several Democratic voters had voted multiple times, in multiple locations, and in multiple names.  I am not saying that these incidents changed the outcome of the elections, but it is possible.

There are very few convictions in cases of voter fraud, but we all know, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

Critics love to bring up the negligible rates of voter fraud documented by state boards of elections, but these statistics are misleading given the severe under-enforcement and under-reporting by those same election boards. A great example of this is the findings by New York’s Moreland Commission on Public Corruption in 2013.  In this case, the “Board of Elections Deputy Enforcement Counsel William McCann and co-Executive Directors Robert Brehm and Todd Valentine defended the bipartisan agency, saying most of its work is about compliance with disclosure rules and that it simply doesn’t have the budget or staff to swiftly handle all the complaints that come before it.”

Closing Arguments on Voter Identification

Fact – Voter fraud has happened, is happening, and will continue to happen

Fact – Elections commissions do NOT pursue or prosecute much of the fraud reported.

Fact – Most voters already have a valid form of id that would work for voter identification.

Fact – A Federal Bi-Partisan Commission stated voter identifications are needed to protect the integrity of Federal Elections

It makes you wonder why, exactly, critics are so against requiring voters to present valid voter identification!

What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments.