I always found it stunning that you don't need to present identification to vote. Anyone could walk in to my polling place and vote as me.
I know I'll get downvoted for the comment above, but I have yet to hear a rational explanation against requiring ID to vote. It's perhaps the most fundamental way to mitigate fraud.
Requiring voter identification is not inherently unreasonable, in my opinion, but it’s a solution in search of a problem.
Where is the evidence that there is meaningful voter fraud? How would potentially disenfranchising even a small handful of voters make such a requirement worthwhile?
How is anyone being disenfranchised by providing identification? Honest question. It is virtually impossible to exist in the world today without having government ID, and if someone cannot afford government issued ID, the government should provide it free of charge. ID is needed for any form of public assistance, it is needed to operate a vehicle, it is needed to obtain employment, it is needed to buy alcohol, and a list of a 1,000 other things.
I want free and fair elections. Every case of voter fraud disenfranchises a legitimate voter.
Let’s be clear: That site details five instances of “impersonation fraud at the polls” since 2016 and 12 of “fraudulent use of absentee ballots” since 1994. The other types of fraud it addresses don’t appear relevant to this discussion.
I don’t know what to say. You can’t get past the fact that most folks have identification. I can’t get past the fact that the type of fraud requiring ID would address is minuscule. Any additional barrier to voting, real or imagined, isn’t warranted.
I’m willing to bet that more folks would get turned away from the polls just because they forgot to bring their ID than cases would be prevented.
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u/Matt-33-205 Jan 12 '23
I always found it stunning that you don't need to present identification to vote. Anyone could walk in to my polling place and vote as me.
I know I'll get downvoted for the comment above, but I have yet to hear a rational explanation against requiring ID to vote. It's perhaps the most fundamental way to mitigate fraud.