Voter ID Laws

Extracted Attributes

• Primary Goal

  Preventing voter impersonation and ensuring election integrity

• Public Support

  Approximately 80% according to the Honest Elections Project

• Global Adoption

  176 countries or jurisdictions (as of 2021)

• US Adoption Rate

  Over two-thirds of U.S. states

• Legal Controversy

  Potential violation of the 24th Amendment (Poll Tax) and state constitutions

• In-person Impersonation Rate

  0.00004% according to the Brennan Center

Timeline

• The 24th Amendment is ratified, prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections, a key legal argument against strict Voter ID laws. (Source: Web Search: Voter ID law | Britannica)

  1964-01-23

• Prior to this election, voter ID laws were generally not considered controversial in the United States. (Source: Web Search: Voter identification | MIT Election Lab)

  2000-11-07

• The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) is signed into law, establishing minimum ID requirements for first-time voters who register by mail. (Source: Web Search: Voter identification | MIT Election Lab)

  2002-10-29

• Report indicates that 176 countries or jurisdictions globally require photo ID for voting. (Source: Wikipedia: Voter identification laws)

  2021-12-31

• The Heritage Foundation reports that voter ID laws are supported by nearly 80% of voters across demographics. (Source: Web Search: Voter identification laws by state - Ballotpedia)

  2023-01-01

• Senator John Fetterman and All-In Podcast hosts debate the merits of the SAVE Act and national Voter ID standards. (Source: Document 1054e78a-2b1e-4b6a-8b0d-1edde764a7ef)

  2024-10-01

Voter identification laws

A voter identification law is a law that requires a person to show some form of identification to vote. In some jurisdictions requiring photo IDs, voters who do not have photo ID often must have their identity verified by someone else (such as in Sweden) or sign a Challenged Voter Affidavit (such as in New Hampshire) to receive a ballot to vote. Free or affordable voter or photo identification proving citizenship was argued to put no significant burden on voters. Voter ID was found to have no negative impact on voter turnout. Photo ID was required by 176 countries or jurisdictions for voting as of 2021.

Web Search Results

• Voter ID law | Definition, History, & Facts - Britannica

  All voter ID laws provide an alternative means of voting for persons who lack (or refuse to present) acceptable identification. Laws by which such means require some follow-up action by the voter are known as “strict” voter ID laws (e.g., the voter may be given a provisional ballot that is not counted unless the voter presents acceptable identification at an election office within a specified period of time). Voter ID laws are also sometimes said to be more or less strict with respect to the number of acceptable forms of identification they recognize; the length of time they give voters using provisional ballots to present acceptable identification after an election; whether there are exemptions or accommodations for certain groups of voters, such as the elderly or the indigent; and, in [...] voter ID law, any U.S. state law by which would-be voters are required or requested to present proof of their identities before casting a ballot. The types of proof accepted for that purpose vary from state to state; some states accept only a few types of photographic identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or state identification card, whereas others also accept nonphotographic documentary proof, such as a utility bill or rent receipt. By the second decade of the 21st century, more than two-thirds of U.S. states had adopted voter ID laws of one kind or another. A few of those statutes, however, were subsequently struck down or enjoined by the courts as a result of legal challenges. [...] persons without acceptable identification must often pay a fee to obtain it, voter ID laws amount to a poll tax, in direct violation of the Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964) to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits such taxes in federal elections. Other challenges to voter ID laws have asserted that they violate the right to vote itself, which is guaranteed in many state constitutions.

• Voter identification laws by state - Ballotpedia

  | "Voter ID laws can stop multiple types of fraud, such as impersonating another registered voter, preventing noncitizens from voting, and stopping out-of-state residents or someone registered in multiple jurisdictions. ... That’s one reason why voters across all demographics support voter ID laws in virtually every poll by almost 80%. This typically includes more than 60% of Democrats ... according to a poll conducted by the Honest Elections Project." - Fred Lucas, The Heritage Foundation (2023) | "Overly burdensome photo ID laws deprive many voters of their right to vote, reduce participation, and stand in direct opposition to our country’s trend of including more Americans in the democratic process. Many Americans do not have one of the forms of government-issued photo identification [...] | Hawaii | No voter ID law | N/A | | Idaho | Photo ID required for early voting | Idaho Code §34-1012 | | Illinois | No voter ID law | N/A | | Indiana | Photo ID required for early voting | Ind. Code §3-11-10-26 | | Iowa | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Iowa Code §53.10 | | Kansas | Photo ID required for early voting | Kan. Stat. Ann. §25-1122 | | Kentucky | Photo ID required for early voting | KRS §117.076 | | Louisiana | Photo ID required for early voting | LSA 18:1309 | | Maine | No voter ID law | N/A | | Maryland | No voter ID law | N/A | | Massachusetts | No voter ID law | N/A | | Michigan | Photo ID required for early voting | Mich. Comp. Laws §168.720b | | Minnesota | No voter ID law | N/A | | Mississippi | Does not offer no-excuse early voting | N/A | [...] | Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies. | | AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubmit | Election Policy VNT Logo.png This page tracks voter identification (ID) laws by state. These laws require voters to present some form of identification at the polls. In some cases, the required identification must include a photo.

• Voter identification | MIT Election Lab

  Voter ID laws in general only apply to those who vote in person. (The exception is first-time voters who registered by mail.) Under HAVA, these voters must include a photocopy of their identification if they vote for the first time by mail.) The identification of voters who cast their ballots by mail, whether a traditional absentee or vote-by-mail ballot, is typically handled by matching the signature on the outer return envelope with the signature election officials have on file. ## Legal controversy Prior to the 2000 election, voter ID laws were not very controversial. Most states had what are now known as HAVA-minimum requirements, although some had non-strict, non-photo ID laws. [...] While it may seem obvious that voter ID laws serve to depress turnout (even if descriptively and not causally), scholars have made important argumentsthat the very presence of voter ID laws can have a counter-mobilizing effect that encourages greater turnout among voting populations that are targeted by those laws. Another important research issue is whether ID laws are implemented consistently as written. Based on studies involving close observation of poll workers, at least two articles (here and here) suggest that inconsistent implementation may be common. [...] Another aspect of voter ID laws is the effect of these laws on the confidence of voters. Research into this question was partially inspired by the argument of the Supreme Court in Marion County that a rational justification for a state passing a strict ID law is to instill greater confidence in the electoral process. However, the research conducted on this question (see here and here) has not found a consistent correlation between the presence of strict ID laws in a state and an increase in voter confidence (or a decrease in the belief that fraud is rampant). Scholars have also studied factors that lead states to adopt strict ID requirements. Strict ID laws are fairly popular among all elements of the mass public, including Democrats, minority groups, and liberals. Still, Republicans,

• What's So Bad About Voter ID Laws?

  # What's So Bad About Voter ID Laws? Share this: Voter ID laws have long been debated in the United States. While supporters argue that voter photo ID laws are necessary to prevent voter fraud and ensure the integrity of elections, reality tells a different story. Not only do these measures disproportionately impact Black, Native, elderly, and student voters, but they also fail to effectively address any real issues related to election integrity — the very thing advocates say these measures are designed to do. In this blog, we'll explore the true nature of voter photo ID laws, examine the arguments supporting them, and look at how they impact voters at the polls from different walks of life. [...] The negative impact of strict voter ID laws is not limited to Black Americans; other marginalized populations also face disproportionate barriers to voting because of these laws. Native American communities, low-income, elderly, and rural voters are disproportionately affected by voter photo ID laws. This is partially because photo IDs aren’t as common as many people assume: 18% of all citizens over the age of 65, 16% of Latino voters, 25% of Black voters, and 15% of low-income Americans lack acceptable photo ID. Elderly and low-income voters may not have the availability, financial resources, or mobility to obtain the necessary identification, and rural voters may face significant barriers to obtaining the necessary documentation due to their geographic isolation. Further, many rural and [...] The issue with this argument is that time and time again, voter photo ID laws are proven to be ineffective tools to fight voter fraud — in the rare instances it does take place. While voter photo ID laws aim to prevent in-person voter impersonation, an almost non-existent form of voter fraud, other types of voter impersonation are similarly rare and not cause for significant concern. According to the Brennan Center, the rate of in-person voter impersonation is extremely low: only 0.00004% of all ballots cast. It’s worth noting that this rate is even significantly lower than other rare forms of voter fraud, such as absentee ballot fraud, which voter photo ID laws do not address.

• Voter ID Laws - Vote.org

  | Nebraska | All in-person voters are required to present a valid photo ID containing the voter's name and photo, such as a Nebraska driver's license or state ID, Passport, Military ID, Tribal ID, Hospital, assisted living or nursing home record, Nebraska political subdivision (state, county, city, school, etc.), or Nebraska college or university ID. | Voters are required to write their driver's license or state ID number on their absentee ballot applications, or enclose a copy of a valid photo ID or reasonable impediment certification with their applications. | [...] If you are a first-time voter and did not provide proof of ID at the time of registration (either with a driver's license, state ID, or social security number), you are not eligible to vote by mail and instead should vote in-person and provide proof of ID to the election official at the polling place. | [...] West Virginia voter registration card A valid hunting or fishing license issued by the State of West Virginia A valid identification card issued to the voter by the West Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, or Medicaid A valid bank card or valid debit card A valid utility bill or bank statement issued within six months of the date of the election A valid health insurance card issued to the voter A voter does not have to show an ID to vote if: The voter is accompanied by an adult who has known the voter for at least 6 months, has a photo ID with name and address, and signs an affidavit confirming the voter's identity A poll worker has known the voter at least 6 months The voter is a resident of a WV