The Many Costs of Voter ID -another disenfranchisement tool for dismantling democracy

[Melissa G]

This is an excellent article that shows some of the true costs of voter ID. Check it out...

Voter ID by the Numbers
May 14, 2008

snip

The costs of proving citizenship, or even obtaining ID, are anything but free. And the benefits of requiring an ID to vote—ostensibly as a means to prevent voter fraud—are anything but proven. The evidence of widespread voter fraud is nonexistent, and the effects of fraud are insignificant. Yet laws meant to prevent this non-problem are proliferating—preventing thousands of American citizens from exercising their right to vote.

The By the Numbers below shows just how costly these requirements can be for those who can least afford them:
How much does it cost to get a driver’s license or prove citizenship?

$45: Fee for a six-year driver’s license in Missouri. A non-driver’s identification card costs $11.

$15: Cost of a birth certificate, the most commonly used document to obtain a driver’s license, in Missouri.

$100: Cost of a passport, as of February 1, 2008. Obtaining other forms of citizenship documentation can cost even more (up to $460 for a citizenship application). Any form of documentation can take months to process.

25: Number of states, including Missouri, that require some form of identification be presented at the polls. Seven of those, including Indiana, require or can request photo ID.
Who do voter ID requirements affect?

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/05/id_numbers.html