Other forms cost time and money.

Opening a bank account or ANY banking transactions is just one example.
How about getting hired for a job? Don't people need ID for that?

I wonder what % of people don't have a picture ID? It has to be low.

A voter ID card should be all that is required to vote.

I have one and there's not a picture on it. If just confirms my address and voting location.

She lives in subsidized housing. She doesn't drive and has never driven. Public transportation in her city has been cut dramatically, so getting somewhere/anywhere is difficult for her. But basically, she'll tell you that the fee may not sound like much to others, but to a senior citizen on a very limited/fixed income, that fee and the cost of bus fare can be prohibited.

For what it's worth, she's 79 and is highly educated, but her careers were in low-paying jobs that were mostly female. A woman of her generation could have two degrees (she does - undergrad and Masters) and still make very little money.

there are LOTS of people that don't have bank accounts. the fact is, there is a whole economic world out there that is anonymous (and in some ways more free - at least free from the ubiquitous surveilance we willingly subject ourselves to)

poverty, mental illness, homelessness, illiteracy, fear - these things can impede action. imagine struggling just to get through a day and manage to eat, much less find transportation to get to some bureaucratic location with all the OTHER forms of ID you need to even apply for the official voter picture ID you need ... when you are down, seemingly easy, simple tasks can be insurmountable.

Then the GOP turns around and makes it costly or impossible to get a recognized form of whatever is a legit picture ID. Hence you cannot vote.

If you're too poor to own a car, you don't need one of those. Now, the state will make you an official photo ID that is not a driver's licence, but you have to go somewhere and pay a fee to get it. You also have to demonstrate who you are, like with a birth certificate. Getting your birth certificate also costs money, and you have to know how to do it. Catch 22.

And that voting requirement is for a "government-issued" photo ID that is current and not expired. So, you'd have to renew your ID and pay another fee.

It's a very simple way to weed out poor people.

Their license expires. They let it. Bam. No ID.

Lots of poor people and even not poor live in urban areas and never get a license. Government makes it difficult to get a state ID. Bam no ID.

Fears of government making dubious assumptions about your citizenship. No registration.

No one is registered since the day they are born. Politically apathetic. Too much effort for lazy people.

I’m sure there are more reasons.

Yet, she has a picture ID from the nursing home and for assisted public transportation.

Is this one of those "I do things and I have stuff - why doesn't everybody else?" threads? 'Cause that's what it smells like.

Fortunately, the voting polls come to the nursing home and EVERY resident gets to vote.

If my state had a ridiculous law like Kentucky, that would be a game changer for the residents there. Indeed it would prevent over 200 voters from doing so. I now understand for this situation the direct damage. Thanks!

or a gov passport, or maybe a gun permit. Poor people don't have cars, and are certainly not going to get a passport, or apply for a gun permit. One can get an ID from the state motor vehicle dept, but that means riding the bus there, or getting a ride, and waiting in line for maybe a few hours. Then paying for the ID. So too much trouble and bother for a poor person, who probably can't afford to take off work for a day to get the ID.

If you only made $7.50 an hr or less, would you lose a day's pay to go get a voter ID?

Don't they ID to get on food stamps for example?

I live in Texas, a blood red GOP state that has gerrymandered districts and suppressed the vote wherever possible. The GOP is cutting as much public assistance as possible.

We lived in Virginia and I finally applied for a passport. The hospital birth certificate, the one with the little foot prints, would not work. So, since I was born in Texas, I had to send to Austin. Some supporting information Was needed and there was the inevitable fee. All in all, it was pretty easy.

I don’t see how I would get by without a state I’d. I have a TDL and a CHL. Cashing a check some where beside my bank requires one. Lots of other places ask for ID.

Texas will supply an official state picture ID at no cost. It was part of the voter ID law I think.

The required supporting information list is available from https://www.dps.texas.gov/driverlicense/identificationrequirements.htm or the Vital Statistics Department. It seemed very basic, too basic since this can be used to steal someone’s identity. I don’t know if you can plead poverty. If it is that bad, contact you state representative.

I supplied a VDL copy, SSAN card copy and information on parents, when and where I was born to the Texas Dept. of Vital Statistics. They issued the state birth certificate. The Dept. of State issued the passport based on it and the other info requested on their application.

1. The pass port does not have a street address, but Dept. of State does want to know where to send it.

2. Yes, address does matter for voting. The pass port identifies the individual.

3. I do not have a TX state ID. I have a drivers license. They will accept a tax receipt, utility bill or other document showing your address.

Over the years, these ops come up on DU. Theg Grow over long as this on has. it always seems to end up that there is some one who just cannot get a photo ID. I think that is sad, but maybe we just can’t bring a free picture ID to someone”s cousins guest room.

Giving people rides and helping them with these issues could be more useful than protests and so on. And have other benefit to them once they got the ID.

it can be tough with older people. I had a client social security would not pay because he had no proof of his age. ( looking at him was not enough).

As time goes on, this can go away. More modern record keeping means no baby without a social security number.

Seems a little.... I’ve got mine. What’s wrong with you?

This is a discussion. Chill.

Every comment gets a pushback from you.

The discussion is helping me understand, which is the point.

Why you are think Voter ID is no problem

31 comments later.....Did you figure it out yet?

Op is simply asking a question. Du is a good resource for finding answers.

No need to be hostile about it. No wonder du has lost so many members.

Why all the pushback when someone answers?

Funny about perception. Hostility seems more directed at folks who haven’t “simply”
Run right out and got their voter id even tho there is so little voter fraud and until recent Republican voter suppression and state issued ID became a “thing”.

A bit hostile IMO. educate people rather than act suspicious for their not knowing.

I think asking why a voter suppression vehicle like a State ID is a problem is something that has been explained over and over for the last ten years.

After 20 responses to the question there still seems to be pushback on the messenger.

Maybe it’s hostile to you but anyone after all these responses is still attacking a messenger should try Googling if not satisfied. Instead of labeling people.

I have. A picture ID was not on the top of my list at that time. Eating and having a place to lay my head was.

Indeed, homeless and other severe poverty would prevent people from having Picture ID. Good point.

Were you a voter during this time of severe hardship?

Homelessness is one of them. So are various disabilities.

You need a SS card or proof you have a number (everyone has a SS number). Proof of age and citizenship.

They also have provisions if you are home bound and can’t get to an office.

If someone wants one, they can get it.

As far as internet access, somehow we all functioned without that for years and years. Any citizen can go to a library for assistance with this kind of thing.

I’m not in favor of voter ID, but I really wonder how anyone functions in this world without ID. I’ve had to show an ID to buy alcohol even though I’m WAY above the legal age. There are myriad situations in which one needs a picture ID.

Again, if someone really WANTS one, they can get one.

Could you please address the very realistic hypo I gave you where you are living in your cousin's apartment, have a cash job, and don't drive?

Argue that could change due to your vote and so be worth it?

Just the margin of victory over trump.

because public policy shouldn't be about layering on requirements and constraints until people object.

the question should be what's the bare minimum necessary to ensure reasonably orderly voting.


plenty of states have determined that picture id isn't necessary, some states have determined that id isn't necessary at all.

when you show up you just tell them your name and address, they cross your name off the list as they have you your ballot, and that simply system may not be bulletproof but it's actually pretty good. if someone were to commit voter fraud, they'd have to know the name and address of someone registered to vote at that precinct and then hope they showed up first because if you ask for a ballot and your name and address are already crossed off, that's a problem.


there's really no evidence that picture id reduces voter fraud anyway, since that's not going to stop anyone from also using an old id to vote in two places or just plain getting a fake id.

and there's even less evidence that this type of voter id has ever swayed an election.


there is, however, evidence that voter suppression efforts like requiring picture id sways elections by making it more difficult for people to vote.

So they don't have a driver's license. They may not have a checking account so they don't need an ID to spend their money.

In Florida an ID card requires that your provide a copy of your birth certificate, and if you changed your name a copy of whatever proves that name change (marriage license, court order, etc.) - required by the Real ID Act. Each of those items costs money to obtain certified copies.

The cost of an original ID card, renewal, or replacement Florida ID is $25. If your Florida ID card has expired before you renew it, you will have to pay a delinquent fee of $15 on top of the original $25 renewal fee.


Some people on very tight budgets do not obtain a Florida ID, essentially losing their right to vote because of the picture ID requirement. So this acts as a poll tax, which was declared unconstitutional decades ago.

for everyone and to pay for it. If the republicans write laws that require people to have a picture ID to participate in democracy, there needs to be free picture ID for everyone.

If you are living at your cousin's apartment and sleeping on the couch, could you explain to me how you would go about proving that is your address, when you show up to get your free ID?

Thank you so much.

Many low income people have informal living arrangements. They are not homeless, but they do not have a lease or pay utilities. Proving residence is essential to government issued ID for voting purposes

Voters cards with a photo would be easy to issue, especially since many now register to vote at the same place they renew their driver's licenses. But then the Republicans would continue to close down the driver's license offices in minority areas - as they did in Georgia and Alabama - making it hard for those with no access to transportation to get there.

ProjectVote.org did some good work here.

You have to request it online and use a credit card and it costs around $60 - things to which a lot of poor people don't have a lot of access. OR - you have to go to the DNMV and get it there, but what if you don't live near any of these places and are poor and don't have a way there? By the time the birth certificate and ID costs are combined - it can end up over $100. Some states will not issue IDs if you owe anything - like traffic tickets, not paying parole - have to pay the fines first - and again - you are poor. My son has/had issues and didn't have an official id off and on for 10 years, 3 years of which he was homeless. Thankfully FL changed it's laws and he can now vote & finally got an official FL picture ID and a job. Hope it sticks this time.

You never know how messed up the system is until you are outside of it trying to get back in and have a stable life - or love someone in this condition.

...and there is a whole different world that you can get sucked into, and of which the OP seems utterly unaware.

Not only that, but there are multiple self-reinforcing mechanisms that, collectively, keep you in that world.

Where they don’t have to pay. Well blue states probably do and red won’t. Maybe a fund that we could give to in order to defray that cost.

Trump won by 80k votes in 3 swing states.
Bush 'won' by 500-something votes in Florida

Repubs take little swipes wherever and whenever they can. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But they always try.

I have seen these threads for years here on DU. It always seems that will be individual cases where a person just can’t get an ID to vote. The states I have lived in make an effort to provide for distress and poverty.

Take the impoverished. Do you really thiink those who could never own nor rent a car need a driver's license (which is on average $78.00 nationwide)?

Take the elderly on fixed income? Do you really think they have need to likewise maintain a driver's license and expend the fees to do so? In most cases their utility bills and social security/medicare card will get them the identity proof they need and it is unlikely they fly a lot)

Take the extreme elderly and those impoverished survivors of natural disasters? The first may well have had home births and thus a birth certificate is not always a given for those in their late 80's, '90s and above. The latter may have none of their papers, having evacuated and certainly for those surviving Katrina, many had no way of getting those birth certificates and other papers replaced.

Even the youth who are increasingly NOT getting driver's licenses, perferring to use ride shares. Most of those laws passed are NOT accepting school, even college ids as proof.


Just a start...

My daughter lives in Chicago but was born in Minneapolis. To get a birth certificate:

You must complete an application to request a certificate and have it notarized.
You must show valid identification.
You must sign your application.
You must pay a $26 fee.

If you apply online you must also use a credit card in your name.

.

They need to provide local or mobile access to obtain the required IDs, accept state benefits IDs, etc.

It should be up to the county clerks to ensure all voters have this ID. Mobile vehicles could be scheduled to go to people's homes. If you can register to vote online, voter registration forms should allow either the attachment of an image, a link to a government ID. If registering via mail, an attached photograph.


===


But, we all know it's not for ensuring vote integrity--it's for making it harder for people to vote.

Some states require people to travel for an hour or more to the office just to be turned around on a paperwork technicality, costing them transportation money and time, often forcing them to lose a day's work wages each time. This affects poorer working-class families the most. Those office sites have direct access to their state's birth certificate images online, but make it difficult for people to provide ID.

With REAL ID coming into effect, that is even more of a hassle to get.

.

some Democratic billionaires would donate $$ to help people with transportation issues and ID fees, instead of spending millions on vanity Presidential campaigns that they have no chance of winning.

The Texas voter id law was designed to suppress the vote. Marc Veassey as lead plaintiff with Chad Dunn as lead attorney sued and proved that the Texas law discriminated against poor people and had a disproportionate impact on minorities. Texas appealed and both a three judge panel and the entire 5th Circuit upheld the ruling. As a result, we have gutted the Texas voter id law so that you can voe with any id if the voter signs a reasonable impediment affidavit or declaration.

I followed this case closely and I read all of the briefs and expert reports. 2014 wast the only year when the full version of the Texas voter id law was in place and that law drastically reduced turnout for Democrats Here is a chart that shows the effect of the Texas voter id law on Democratic turnout

Greg Abbott got more votes in 2014 compared to Rick Perry while Wendy Davis got far fewer votes even though she spent more.

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