Voter ID is not the problem

[Recursion]

The idea of asking voters for identification is not itself the problem. Every single advanced social democracy does it.

The problem is that Germany, Denmark, the UK, etc. actually give everybody an ID, whereas the individual US states deliberately withhold them.

I like voter ID. I think it's a great idea. I also think that it is untenable until we have a free Federal ID card.

[evertonfc]

1. the problem is

half the registered voters don't participate. They do however bitch and moan. Hell even if you have to get an ID, you have years to get one.

[Amishman]

2. Voter registration need to become federal

Universally issued, verify it against citizenship records and social security records (who is alive and who has died). No more possibilities of people being registered in multiple states. Have a free federally issued voter ID card.

Here is the real benefit - no more conservatives purging the voter rolls right before elections. With it centrally administered and cross referenced against other federal programs, there will never be an excuse to even try that shit.

[TheRealNorth]

3. If you move a lot, it can be a problem

Every time you move you may need to spend the time and money to go to the DMV and get your license/ID updated(putting aside the fact that if you work during normal business hours you have to use vacation to get off work).

Further, if you're an out-of-state college student in a place they don't accept college ID's for voting, you may be out of luck if you want to cast a ballot on-campus (otherwise you have to be on the ball and sign up to have an absentee ballot sent to your college address when you are home during the summer).

It's not just that a segment of likely Democratic voters have to jump through the extra hoops- they have to jump through them more often.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Getting an ID is an onerous process

Voter ID is a relatively new development in this country in terms of voting. Things seemed to be working fine without them for most of our country's history and, as we all know, in-person voter fraud is so rare it is virtually non-existent. Our requirements for voting should at least be informed by actual demonstrable concern, not just hyped up hypotheticals about "voter fraud" and "illegal immigrants" casting votes. We all know (or should know by now) that it's only one party that's pushing Voter ID and why.

[JHB]

5. I made that point when RWers were using India and Mexico to call for voter IDs

Both those countries have standard national-level IDs. Everyone gets one. Here, state-issued drivers licenses have served the purpose, but they're issuance is not automatic and universal because it's not supposed to be. They have a different primary purpose and have differing eligibility requirements.

I also point out that in the past, every time the idea of a national ID was floated, conservatives either screamed "Socialism! Communism!" or "Mark of the Beast!". And then congratulated them for changing their minds about that.

[Hoyt]

6. I would not want to be the Democratic politician who proposes a national ID. The white wingers

will go nuts and buy more gunz -- citing fear of "your papers, please."

[happy feet]

7. Voter ID is nothing more than a solution to a non-existent problem.

Fraudulent voting (nationwide over 10 years in the single digits) as measured is so minute as to be non-existent.

You identify yourself when you register to vote. Voter ID laws disenfranchise voters who are older, have no car/access to public transportation, poor, live in areas where DMVs have been shut down --- need I list the demographics of American citizens who are DELIBERATELY disenfranchised?