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Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Voter ID Laws

Thu, 07/26/2012 - 09:52 — Dave Culver
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Government & Politics

  • We've taken a step back to look at the facts behind the laws and break down the issues at the heart of the debate.
  • Suppress the Vote!
  • Policy Brief on the Truth About “Voter Fraud” Analysis

Suevon Lee, ProPublica

Submitted by Evergreene Digest Contributing Editor Lydia Howell

A local resident casts her vote at a polling station in Sandy Springs, Ga., on March 6, 2012. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Voter IDs laws have become a political flashpoint [2] in what's gearing up to be another close election year. Supporters say the laws — which 30 states [3] have now enacted in some form — are needed to combat voter fraud, while critics see them as a tactic to disenfranchise voters.
We've taken a step back to look at the facts behind the laws and break down the issues at the heart of the debate.

So what are these laws?

They are measures intended to ensure that a registered voter is who he says he is and not an impersonator trying to cast a ballot in someone else's name. The laws, most of which have been passed in the last several years, require that registered voters show ID before they're allowed to vote. Exactly what they need to show varies. Some states require a government-issued photo, while in others a current utility bill or bank statement is sufficient.

Full story...

Related:

Suppress the Vote! Dahlia Lithwick, Slate Magazine

  • Ohio Republicans want to disqualify voters’ ballots for the mistakes poll workers make.
  • GOP War on Voting Targets Swing States
  • Florida Telling Hundreds of Eligible Citizens They Are Ineligible to Vote
  • Policy Brief on the Truth About “Voter Fraud” Analysis

Policy Brief on the Truth About “Voter Fraud” Analysis, Brennan Center for Justice

  • Claims of voter fraud should be carefully tested before they become the basis for action.
  • Suppress the Vote!
     

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