Voter ID laws in the United States

A voter ID law is a law that requires some form of identification in order to vote or receive a ballot for an election.

In the United States, voter ID laws are in place in thirty-three[1] states.[2] At the federal level, the 2002 Help America Vote Act requires a voter ID for all new voters in federal elections who registered by mail and who did not provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number that was matched against government records.[3]

Voter ID laws first generated controversy in 1999 when Virginia attempted to implement a photo ID requirement. Proponents argue that the laws are a commonsense effort to ensure election integrity and place little burden on voters. Opponents argue that presenting a photo ID can be a significant burden and that such laws intrinsically discriminate against black voters.

Push for photo ID requirements

Twelve states now require voters to show some form of photo identification (see table below), with approximately thirteen other states pursuing similar legislation. Some of the states that were pursuing new photo identification requirements were legally bound to apply for Federal Preclearance prior to enacting any new election laws. Federal Preclearance stems from the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, in the 2013 case Shelby County v. Holder, the United States Supreme Court struck down Section 4(b) of the Act, which contains the formula determining which states are required to seek preclearance, as unconstitutional based on current conditions, saying it was rational and needed at the time it was enacted but is no longer an accurate formula, based on the changing demographics of the country. In effect, federal preclearance is no longer a requirement until its formula can be deemed as constitutional, and states that had passed photo identification requirements but had not received federal preclearance were allowed to immediately take effect.[4]

History

Voter ID Laws go back to 1950 when South Carolina became the first state to start requesting identification from voters at the polls. The identification document did not have to include a picture; any document with the name of the voter sufficed. In 1970, Hawaii joined in requiring ID, and Texas a year later. Florida was next in 1977, and Alaska in 1980 to become the first five states in the United States to request identification of some sort from voters at the polls.[5]

In 1999, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore (R) attempted to start a pilot program that required voters to show IDs at the polls. His initiative was blocked by Democrats and the NAACP, and was stopped by court order. His administration had spent and mailed $275,000 worth of free voter ID cards to residents in Arlington and Fairfax counties.[6][7][8] In the aftermath of the 2000 election, where George W. Bush narrowly won Florida by 537 votes, the American public and lawmakers became more receptive to measures against voter fraud. In 2002, President Bush signed the Help America Vote Act into law, which required all first-time voters in federal elections to show photo or non-photo ID upon either registration or arrival at the polling place.[9]

In 2004, Arizona passed a law requiring voters to bring a state-issued photo ID to the polling place. Similar proposals were discussed in various other states and were passed in some cases. In several states a person's citizenship status is noted on their photo ID.[10][11]

Indiana passed a law in 2005 requiring a photo ID be shown by all voters before casting ballots.[12] Civil rights groups in Indiana launched a lawsuit, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, that reached the Supreme Court in 2008. The Court ruled that the law was constitutional, paving the way for expanded laws in other states.[13][14]

In 2011, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) (WI Act 23) and Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) enacted similar laws. Texas Governor Rick Perry placed a voter ID bill as an "emergency item" in 2011, allowing legislators to rush it through the process.[15] Jurisdiction over Texas election procedure had been given to the Department of Justice, which was required to pre-clear the law for approval. The Texas law recognized government issued photo identification and weapons permits but not college IDs, raising the criticism that the law was unfavorable to young voters, who trend liberal, while favorable to gun owners, who trend conservative.[16] Rhode Island passed a voter ID law in 2011, and it is the only state with a Democratic-controlled legislature to do so.[17] In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley (R) enacted a law requiring government-issued IDs at the polls, which included provisions for the issuance of free IDs; Haley made a one-time offer to arrange for voter ID applicants to be driven to issuing locations.[18] The ID requirement was blocked by the Justice Department.[19] Wisconsin's Voter ID law provided free IDs to people who did not have them. In practice, state employees at the DMV were instructed to provide the IDs for free only if people specifically asked to have their fee waived. The requirement to show photo ID had been declared in violation of the Wisconsin Constitution and blocked by state and federal judges, then those decisions were overturned by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and later the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Weeks later, the U.S. Supreme Court again blocked the law for 2014. On March 23, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the ACLU, effectively upholding the 7th Circuit's decision Wisconsin's voter ID law is constitutional.[20]

Pennsylvania's voter ID law allowed various forms of photo identification cards, including those held by drivers, government employees, in-state college students, and residents of elder-care facilities. Voters who do not possess these forms of identification can obtain voting-only photo IDs issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).[21] A judicial order on October 2, 2012 blocked enforcement of Pennsylvania's law until after the 2012 Presidential election. Following a trial in the summer of 2013 and a six-month delay, Commonwealth Court Judge Bernard L. McGinley struck down Pennsylvania's voter ID law as violative of the constitutional rights of state voters on January 17, 2014. Required IDs were only available through 71 PennDOT Drivers Licensing Centers across the state. Five of the 71 DLCs are located in Philadelphia, nine counties have no DLCs at all, and DLCs are open only one day per week in nine counties and two days per week thirteen counties. The Pennsylvania Department of State provided too little access, no financial support to providing IDs to those without access, and no alternatives to obtaining the required IDs. Judge McGinley found that this leaves about half of Pennsylvania without DLCs for five days a week, imposing a significant barrier to obtaining Pennsylvania's "free ID".[22] Photo IDs are not required to vote in PA.[23]

Voters in Minnesota rejected a voter ID proposal on the 2012 general election ballot by a margin of 54-46%.[24] It is the only such ballot defeat for a voter ID law in the country.

State-by-state requirements

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) provides a web page with ID requirements for voting in each state.[25]

  Strict photo ID (9 states)
  Photo ID (non-Strict) (9 states)
  Strict non-photo ID required (3 states)
  Non-photo ID required (non strict) (11 states)
  No ID required to vote at ballot box (17 states)

Then NCSL web site distinguishes strict from non-strict as follows:

In the "strict" states, a voter cannot cast a valid ballot without first presenting ID. Voters who are unable to show ID at the polls are given a provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots are kept separate from the regular ballots. If the voter returns to election officials within a short period of time after the election (generally a few days) and presents acceptable ID, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter does not come back to show ID, that provisional ballot is never counted.[25]

In states with non-strict voter ID laws, other methods of validation are allowed; this varies by state. Possible alternatives are: signing an affidavit, having a poll worker vouch for voter, having election officials verify a voter's identity after the vote is cast, or having the voter return an inquiry mailed to their reported address. In states with strict ID laws, the voter is required to take additional action after the provisional ballot is cast to verify ID.

The NCSL places state-level voter ID laws in one of the following categories:

Strict photo ID in effect: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. In addition, North Carolina and Wisconsin have strict photo ID laws that are not yet in effect.

Photo ID in effect: Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and South Dakota.

Strict non-photo ID in effect: Arizona, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina.

Non-photo ID in effect: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington.

No ID required at polling place: California, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Washington, D.C. do not require ID to vote.

Studies and analysis

A 2005 report by Former President Jimmy Carter and Former Secretary of State James Baker concluded that concerns of both those who support and oppose strengthened voter ID laws were legitimate. It recommended voter ID requirements be enacted, to be slowly phased in over a period of five years, and accompanied by the issuance of free ID cards provided by mobile ID vans that would visit traditionally underserved communities.[26] In 2007, a report prepared by the staff of the federal Election Assistance Commission also concluded that "there is a great deal of debate on the pervasiveness of fraud."[27]

Fraud Prevention

Proponents of voter ID laws cite the registration of dead and out-of-state voters as a major vulnerability in the electoral system. A 2012 report by the Pew Center showed that over 1.8 million dead people remain registered to vote nationwide. The same report found 3 million voters registered in multiple states, presumably due to changes of residency.[28] Proponents of voter ID laws fear that motivated individuals could exploit registration irregularities to impersonate dead voters or impersonate former state residents, casting multiple fraudulent ballots.

Several instances of alleged voter fraud have surfaced across the nation. In 2013, state election officials in North Carolina found at least 81 dead voters and 765 voters who appear to have cast ballots in multiple states.[29] Multi-state voters were matched based on first names, last names, dates of birth, and the final four digits of their Social Security numbers.[30] In 2013, 92 dead voters were identified in Oregon.[31] Of the 6,000 dead people registered to vote in Nassau County, NY in 2013, 270 of them had cast ballots at some point since their deaths, though county officials blamed many of the fraudulent votes on clerical errors.[32]Historical examples include the 1997 Miami ballot fraud, which tainted the city's mayoral election and produced more than 36 arrests.[33] The infamous Tammany Hall political machine in 19th century New York City engaged in large-scale voter fraud, including paying for votes, intimidation, deliberate miscounts, and voter impersonation.

Certain instances of voter fraud may, however, be overstated. A 2012 investigation of 207 alleged dead voters in South Carolina found only 5 instances unexplained by clerical errors. For instance, sometimes a son with the same name as his dead father was accidentally recorded as voting under the father's name.[34] By contrast, other instances of voter fraud may be understated as state governments often lack the information necessary to compare voting records between states. For example, many states do not collect the last four digits of a voter's SSN, preventing detection of individuals who vote in multiple states.[30]

Concerns have also arisen over voting by foreign nationals. A 2014 study by Old Dominion University professors Jesse Richman and David Earnest, using data developed by the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, showed that more than 14 percent of self-identified non-citizens in 2008 and 2010 indicated that they were registered to vote, approximately 6.4% of surveyed non-citizens voted in 2008, and 2.2% of surveyed non-citizens voted in 2010.[35] However, this study has been criticized by academic Michael Tesler, who raised concerns about its methodology, such as the possibility of a high rate of response error with respect to citizenship status.[36]

Support for voter ID laws correlates with perceived prevalence of voter fraud.[37]

Perception of Electoral Systems

Other commentators, such as Lorraine Minnite of Demos believe voter ID laws are worthwhile regardless of proven voter fraud because a "low level of voter fraud... does not preclude the need for continued vigilance to ensure the integrity of election systems."[38] In 2005, American University’s Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, wrote:

The electoral system cannot inspire public confidence if no safeguards exist to deter or detect fraud or to confirm the identity of voters. Photo IDs currently are needed to board a plane, enter federal buildings, and cash a check. Voting is equally important.
— The Commission on Federal Election Reform[39]

The Commission concluded that, although proven voter impersonation is minimal, a photo ID requirement will ensure election integrity and safeguard public perception of the nation's voting system at little cost to anyone.[40]

Among certain demographics, however, voter ID laws lower electoral confidence. A 2016 study concluded that Democrats in states with strict ID laws have reduced faith in the electoral system, though negative politicization by the Democratic party may be to blame.[41] Republicans living in strict photo identification states were on the other hand more confident in their elections, though possibly due to similar politicization by Republican elites.[41]

International Comparisons

Most nations require some form of voter identification at the polling place, but specific details of the requirement vary widely. In Spain, Greece, France, Belgium, and Italy, a government-issued photo ID is absolutely required to cast a ballot, however, all citizens in these nations are automatically provided with a photo ID upon reaching adulthood. [42] In Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland, poll workers reserve the right to request identification, but aren’t required to.[42] In Canada, identification is required, but voters can provide any two forms of ID from a list of 45 possibilities. Canada’s system is more stringent than the 17 states that don’t require ID but less stringent than the 22 states with strict requirements. The strict Indiana ID system, for instance, accepts only five forms of ID: a driver’s license, an Indiana ID card, a military ID, a US passport, or a student ID card. [42]

Several developing nations have also instituted voter ID laws. Many Arab nations require voters to leave a fingerprint upon casting a ballot, allowing quick detection of fraud. [43] In 2012, the head of Libya’s national election commission expressed surprise that the American system “depends so much on trust and the good faith of election officials and voters alike”. [43] Likewise, India requires one of fifteen forms of identification to vote, and Senegal gives each voter a single marble to cast, ensuring no one can vote multiple times. [43]

Popular Support

Public opinion polls have shown strong support for voter ID laws amongst voters in the United States. A 2011 Rasmussen poll found that 75% of likely voters “believe voters should be required to show photo identification, such as a driver’s license, before being allowed to vote.”[44]

Although championed primarily by Republicans, support for voter ID laws cuts across party lines. A 2012 Fox News poll showed 70% of voters supported requiring an ID to vote, while 26% were opposed. Voter ID laws were supported by 52% of Democrats, 72% of independents, and 87% of Republicans.[45] In 2011, the Rhode Island legislature passed a voter ID law, which was signed by governor Lincoln Chafee, making Rhode Island the first Democratically-controlled state to pass such legislation.[46]

Although all major political demographics support voter ID laws, a 2013 study showed significant divergence in opinion between conservative-affiliated demographics, which are staunch supporters, and liberal-affiliated demographics, which are less supportive.[37] The study found that "support for voter ID laws is strongest among Republicans, conservatives, and those with higher levels of racial resentment, as well as with regular Fox News viewers and those who perceive voting fraud as common".[37] The study found that "opposition is strongest among Democrats, liberals—especially those with higher levels of familiarity with the laws—and those with lower levels of racial resentment, as well as those who see fraud as rare".[37]

The study also showed that support depends on survey framing: when questions biased against voter ID laws are asked, support drops 15% compared to when questions favorable to voter ID laws are asked.[37]

Questions of Discrimination

In 2011, the civil rights group The Advancement Project reported that voter ID laws disproportionately impact African-Americans and Latinos.[47] According to another report, commissioned by the Election Assistance Commission, one effect of voter identification laws could be lower turnout, especially among members of minorities.[27] However, in 2012, an investigation by Reuters found that voter ID laws in Georgia and Indiana had not led to lower turnout of minorities and concluded that concerns about this "are probably overstated".[48]

A 2011 study by New York University's Brennan Center claimed that of the US population that is of voting age, 11% lack government-issued photo IDs.[49] The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, disputed the methodology of the study, citing a question in which 14 percent of respondents said they had both a U.S. birth certificate and naturalization papers.[50]

A 2014 study by the Government Accountability Office concluded that voter ID laws in Kansas and Tennessee reduced turnout in these states by 1.9 and 2.2 percent, respectively, compared to four states that did not pass voter ID laws- Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, and Maine. The report claims that young people, black people, and newly registered voters were most likely to see reductions in turnout. However, Tennessee officials blamed the reduced turnout on a lack of compelling ballot measures in 2012, and Kansas officials dismissed the drop in black voters as a product of high random variance in a small population. Tennessee officials further questioned the reproducability of this report, given its reliance on data from the progressive political group Catalist.[51]

Charges of racial discrimination in voter ID laws are founded in the disparate impact doctrine of constitutional law, which claims that any action - intentional or incidental - that statistically disadvantages minority individuals is discrimination. However, the moral validity and constitutionality of this doctrine are hotly debated.[52]

A 2014 study on racial psychology found that white respondents to a survey expressed greater support for voter ID laws when shown an image of an African American voter and poll worker than when shown no image or an image of a white voter and poll worker.[53] While these results could imply a latent desire to reduce black voting, they could also indicate a belief that black voters are more likely to commit fraud. A photo of a traditionally disenfranchised voter could also highlight the importance of electoral integrity, which in the respondent's mind may involve enacting photo ID laws.

Heavy Politicization

Another study released in 2014 by the Congressional Research Service concluded that, in the absence of systematic risk analyses, it is difficult to determine what points in the election process — voter registration, voting systems, polling place location and hours, pollworker training, voter identification, vote tabulation, or other steps — actually involve the greatest potential risks to election integrity and therefore warrant the greatest attention.[54]

A 2015 study found that local coverage of voter fraud during the 2012 elections was greatest in presidential swing states and states that passed strict vote ID laws prior to the 2012 election. There was no evidence that the attention was related to the actual rate of voter fraud in each state though. Based on this data, the authors concluded that "parties and campaigns sought to place voter fraud on the political agenda in strategically important states to motivate their voting base ahead of the election".[55] Another 2015 study found a similar correlation between the enactment of voter ID laws and a state's electoral competitiveness, suggesting electioneering motives."[56]

Laws by State

State Original Date Enacted Type of Law Key Dates and Notes
Alabama 2003 Photo ID Law tightened in 2011 to require photo ID as of 2014[57][58] But still has not obtained federal preclearance[59] In 2013, Attorney General Strange believes that the Photo ID law can now be implemented in 2014 due to the Supreme Court case of Shelby County v. Holder.[60] The state of Alabama issues free voter ID cards to voters who need them.[61]
Alaska Photo IDA bill to implement Photo ID law drafted by Rep. Bob Lynn was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Judiciary Committees on January 7, 2013.[62][63]
Arizona 2004 Non Photo ID Non-photographic forms of ID are accepted at polling places as of 2013[64]
Arkansas 2013 Photo ID Photo ID bill passed by lawmakers in 2013, and survived a veto by the Governor to become Act 595 of 2013. On May 2, 2014, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox ruled Act 595 unconstitutional, but stayed his ruling pending an appeal.[65] The week before early voting began for the 2014 midterm elections, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed Judge Fox's decision declaring Arkansas Act 595 of 2013 to be unconstitutional on its face.[66]
California In most cases, California voters are not required to show identification before they cast ballots.[67]
Colorado 2003 Non-Strict, Non-Photo ID Non-photographic forms of ID allowed at polling places as of 2013.[68]
Connecticut Non Photo IDNon-photographic forms of ID allowed at polling places.[69]
Delaware Non Photo ID Non-photographic forms of ID allowed at polling places as of 2013.[70]
Florida 1977 Photo ID Photo ID required when voting in person.[71]
Georgia 1977 Strict Photo ID Existing law tightened in 2005 to require a photo ID; In 2006, passed a law providing for the issuance of voter ID cards at no cost to registered voters who do not have a driver's license or state-issued ID card. Photo ID was required to vote in the 2012 elections.[72]
Hawaii 1978 Photo ID Photo ID required when voting in person.[73][74]
Idaho 2010 Non-Strict Photo ID Voters may sign a Personal Identification Affidavit if they do not possess a Photo ID at the polls.[75]
Illinois Republican Senators authoring a bill for Photo ID.[76]
Indiana 2005 Strict Photo ID Photo ID required when voting in person, enacted in 2008 after Supreme Court clearance.[77]
Iowa Photo IDIowa Senate did not pass a Photo ID bill.[78]
Kansas 2011 Strict Photo ID Photo ID required for in person voting, registration requires proof of citizenship, i.e., passport, birth certificate.[79]
Kentucky A citizen may vote if they have Photo ID, or if a precinct officer can vouch for the voter.[80]
Louisiana Non Photo ID Voters may use non-photographic identification at the polling place.[81]
Maine Photo ID No ID needed at polling place if registered to vote at least one day prior to election.[82]
Maryland 2013 Photo ID Republicans sponsored a House Bill requiring Photo ID in 2013.[83]
Massachusetts Non Photo ID Non-photographic ID is accepted at polling stations.[84]
Michigan Passed in 1996, but ruled invalid until a State Supreme Court ruling in 2007. Voters are requested to show photo ID or sign a statement saying they do not have valid ID in their possession at the time. Either way, the voter will not be turned away.[85]
Minnesota Non Photo ID Non-photographic ID is accepted at polling stations.[86]
Mississippi 2011 Strict Photo ID Governor signed Photo ID bill into law in 2012. The bill will now be required to go through Pre-Clearance check from the federal government.[87] Voting Rights Act Ruling in 2013 clears the way for Mississippi to enact new Photo ID requirement in 2014.[88]
Missouri 2002 Non-Strict, Non-Photo ID In 2006, the existing law was tightened to require photo ID. In 2006, State Supreme Court blocks law. In 2013, State House passes Voter ID law, needs to be approved by State Senate, and voters in November 2014 elections.[89]
Montana 2003 Non-Strict, Non-Photo ID Montana Voter ID Bill killed in 2013.[90]
Nebraska Photo ID Lawmakers are revisiting a Photo ID bill in 2013.[91]
Nevada Photo IDSecretary of State sponsors a bill for Photo ID in 2012.[92]
New Hampshire 2015 Photo ID Voters may sign an affidavit and have their photograph taken in lieu of showing a photo ID. (Voters who object to having their photo taken for religious reasons may sign an additional religious affidavit in lieu of the photograph.)
New Jersey Non Photo IDNon-photographic forms of ID are accepted at the polls.[93]
New Mexico 2008 Law Repealed In 2008, the existing voter ID law was relaxed, and now allows a voter to satisfy the ID requirement by stating his/her name, address as registered, and year of birth.
New York Non Photo ID Non-photographic ID accepted at polling stations[94]
North Carolina 2013 Strict Photo ID (2016) In 2013, the state House passed a bill that requires voters to show a photo ID when they go to the polls by 2016.[95]
North Dakota 2003 Strict Non-Photo ID ND Senate passes bill that would require Photo identification OR a person with Photo ID to vouch for a voter without ID. 2003 law amended in 2013, and moved to a strict non-photo requirement.[96]
Oklahoma 2009 Non-Strict, Non-Photo ID Oklahoma voters approved a voter Photo ID proposal placed on the ballot by the Legislature in 2010. The only non-photo form of ID accepted at the polls is the voter's registration card.[97]
Ohio 2006 Strict Non-Photo ID Non-photographic forms of ID are accepted at polling stations.[98] With strong Republican majorities in Ohio House and Senate, the Photo ID bill is expected to be revisited.[99]
Oregon Mail Ballots OnlyOregon has no polling stations, and ballots are mailed in. Non-photographic forms of ID are accepted for voting registration. Information required on voting ballots, such as the last 4 digits of ones Social Security Number or Drivers License Number, could not be referenced.[100]
Pennsylvania Photo ID Law struck down by Commonwealth Court Judge Bernard L. McGinley on January 17, 2014 as "violative of the constitutional rights of state voters" after first full evidentiary trial since Shelby v Holder. The law was found, by preponderance of evidence, to place undue burden on hundreds of thousands of already registered voters due to a lack of infrastructure and state support for obtaining required IDs.[22][101]
Rhode Island 2014Non-Strict Photo ID RI requires Photo ID at the polls in 2014.[102]
South Carolina 1988 Non-Strict Photo ID Law tightened in 2011.[57] U.S. Justice Department rejected South Carolina's law as placing an undue burden disproportionately on minority voters.[19] On October 10, 2012, the U.S. District Court upheld South Carolina's Voter ID law, though the law won't take effect till 2013.[103][104] As of January 2106, a photo ID is requested, but a voter registration card will be accepted if there is a "reasonable impediment" in possessing a photo ID.[105]
South Dakota 2003 Non-Strict Photo ID If a voter does not possess a photo ID at the polling place, then the voter may complete an affidavit of personal identification.[106]
Tennessee 2011 Strict Photo ID Law tightened in 2011.[57] Tennessee voters were required to show Photo ID during the 2012 elections.[107]
Texas 1990 Photo ID Law tightened in 2011.[57] U.S. Justice Department rejected the Texas law as placing an undue burden disproportionately on minority voters.[108] The 2013 Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder struck down the Justice Department's ability to reject the Texas law.[109] On October 9, 2014, a U.S. District Judge struck down the law.[110] On October 14, 2014, a panel for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a preliminary injunction against the ruling of the District Court, which was confirmed 6-3 by the U.S. Supreme Court on October 18. Therefore, the state will implement this law for the 2014 elections.[111] On August 5, 2015, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found the law to violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and sent it back to the U.S. District Court.[112]
Utah 2009 Non-Strict, Non-Photo IDNon-photographic forms of ID are accepted at polling stations.[113]
Vermont No ID required to vote at polling stations.[114]
Virginia 1996 Strict Photo ID Lawmakers pass Voter ID bill in 2010, and the then Governor implements it in a way that allows non-photo ID. After the 2012 election, the Virginia legislature passed a new law stipulating that non-photo ID's cannot be used. The then Governor signs the Photo ID requirement into law in 2013. The law would have needed to pass "pre-clearance" by the U.S. Department of Justice under the 1965 Voting Rights Act (certain states and jurisdictions, mostly in Southern states were required to wait for pre-clearance before changing voting laws).[115] U.S. Supreme Court Voting Rights Act ruling on June 26 removed section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for Virginia to enact the new Photo ID requirement in 2014.[116]
Washington 2005 Non-Strict, Non-Photo ID Washington has no polling stations. Ballots are mailed in.[117]
West Virginia Photo ID Republicans are preparing a Photo ID bill in 2013.[118]
Wisconsin 2011 Photo ID Following two 2012 rulings by Dane County circuit judges that blocked implementation of the 2011 Wisconsin Act 23 law requiring Voter Id, on July 31, 2014, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the law.[119] On September 12, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the law to be put into effect just 54 days before the 2014 elections, overturning a previous ruling in federal court.[120] On October 9, 2014, the state was again barred from implementing the Voter Id law for 2014 by the U.S. Supreme Court.[121][122] On March 23, 2015, the United States Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the ACLU against Wisconsin's voter ID law, effectively upholding the 7th Circuit's ruling that it is constitutional.[20]
Wyoming No ID needed at polling stations.[123]
Washington, D.C. No ID needed at polling stations.[124]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Voter Identification Requirements - Voter ID Laws". ncsl.org. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Voter ID Laws". ProPublica. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  3. ↑ Tokaji, Daniel P. "The Help America Vote Act: An Overview". The E-Book on Election Law: An Online Reference Guide. Moritz College of Law. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Texas Voter ID Law "Will Take..."". Dallas News. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Voter ID History". ncsl.org. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Va. High Court Panel Bars Voter ID Plan". The Washington Post. October 23, 1999. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "VOTERS IN 10 LOCALITIES TO RECEIVE ID CARDS". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. October 2, 1999. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  8. ↑ Burns, Jim (July 7, 2008). "Virginia Democrats File Lawsuit to Block Voter ID Program". CNSnews.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ Daphne Eviatar (October 1, 2008). "Florida 2000 Redux?". The Washington Independent. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  10. ↑ Urbina, Ian (May 12, 2008). "Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship – New York Times". The New York Times (Missouri;Florida;Kansas;Oklahoma;South Carolina;Arizona;Indiana). Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  11. ↑ "More states may copy Arizona’s proof-of-citizenship voter requirement – Tucson Citizen Morgue (1992–2009)". Tucsoncitizen.com. January 16, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  12. ↑ Barnes, Robert (April 29, 2008). "High Court Upholds Indiana Law On Voter ID". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Supreme Court Hears Indiana Voter ID Case". NPR. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  14. ↑ Biskupic, Joan (January 6, 2008). "Voter ID case could affect election laws". USA Today. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  15. ↑ "After Six-Year Fight, Perry Signs Voter ID into Law". Texasobserver.org. May 27, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Voter identification: First, show your face". The Economist. September 17, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Rhode Island, Providence, news, sports, entertainment, ads | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal". Projo.com. August 23, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  18. ↑ Smith, Gina. "Free rides to DMV offered for photo IDs – Local / Metro". TheState.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  19. 1 2 Meg Kinnard (December 23, 2011). "HuffPost, 23 December 2011: South Carolina Voter ID Law: Justice Department Blocks Controversial Legislation". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  20. 1 2 Hurley, Lawrence (March 23, 2015) - "U.S. top court rejects challenge to Wisconsin voter ID law". Reuters. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  21. ↑ Central PA. "Challenges loom for Pennsylvania's new voter ID law". PennLive.com. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  22. 1 2 "The Uncertain Future of Voter ID Laws". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  23. ↑ Karen Langley (October 2, 2012). "Judge blocks enforcement of portion of Pa. voter ID law". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  24. ↑ Ragsdale, Jim (November 7, 2012). "Voter ID drive rejected". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  25. 1 2 "Voter ID: State Requirements". National Conference of State Legislatures. October 21, 2014.
  26. ↑ Carter, Jimmy; Baker, James (February 3, 2008). "A Clearer Picture on Voter ID". cartercenter.org. Carter Center. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  27. 1 2 Urbina, Ian (April 11, 2007), "Panel Said to Alter Finding on Voter Fraud", The New York Times, retrieved December 17, 2011
  28. ↑ Pam Fessler (February 14, 2012). "Study: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered to Vote". NPR. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  29. ↑ Alex Pappas (April 2, 2014). "At least 81 dead people have been voting in North Carolina". The Daily Caller. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  30. 1 2 "How Many Dead People Voted in This North Carolina Election? More Than Zero". The Independent Journal. February 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  31. ↑ Shelby Sebens (May 16, 2013). "Too nice for voter fraud? Some say OR election system vulnerable despite few cases". watchdog.org. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  32. ↑ Greg Cergol (October 31, 2013). "More Than 200 Dead People Shown to Have Voted in NY County Elections: Report". NBC New York. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  33. ↑ "18 are arrested in 1997 Miami Ballot Fraud". The New York Times. October 29, 1998. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  34. ↑ Kessler, Glenn (2013-07-24). "The case of ‘zombie’ voters in South Carolina". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  35. ↑ Richman, Jesse (October 24, 2014). "Washington Post: Could non-citizens decide the November election?". Washington Post. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  36. ↑ Bump, Philip (27 October 2014). "Methodological challenges affect study of non-citizens' voting". Washington Post. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
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  42. 1 2 3 FC Schaffer (2009). "Is Everyone Else Doing It? Indiana’s Voter Identification Law in International Perspective". Harvard Law and Policy Review. Unknown parameter |http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle= ignored (help);
  43. 1 2 3 "Foreign election officials amazed by trust-based U.S. voting system". Foreign Policy. November 2012. Text " http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/11/06/foreign-election-officials-amazed-by-trust-based-u-s-voting-system-2/" ignored (help);
  44. ↑ Roff, Peter (June 10, 2011). "Poll: Democrats and Republicans Support a Voter ID-Check Law". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  45. ↑ Blanton, Dana (April 18, 2012). "Fox News Poll: Most think voter ID laws are necessary". Fox News. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  46. ↑ Louis Jacobson (July 28, 2011). "Rhode Island's Voter ID Law: Oddity or Game-Changer". governing.com. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Wisconsin legal group asks U.S. to monitor state's voter ID law". Reuters. September 1, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  48. ↑ Colleen Jenkins (November 2, 2012). "Insight: Scant evidence of voter suppression, fraud in states with ID laws". Reuters. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  49. ↑ Weiser, Wendy; et al. (September 8, 2011). "Citizens Without Proof Stands Strong". Brennan Center. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  50. ↑ "Not a Race Card". Bernardgoldberg.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  51. ↑ Bump, Philip (9 October 2014). "Voter ID laws in Kansas and Tennessee dropped 2012 turnout by over 100,000 votes". Washington Post. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  52. ↑ Primus, Richard (June 2010). "The Future of Disparate Impact". Michigan Law Review. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  53. ↑ Wilson, David C.; Brewer, Paul R.; Rosenbluth, Phoebe Theodora (2014-10-02). "Racial Imagery and Support for Voter ID Laws". Race and Social Problems 6 (4): 365–371. doi:10.1007/s12552-014-9131-4. ISSN 1867-1748.
  54. ↑ Coleman, K.J. et al. (November 3, 2014) Voter Identification Requirements: Background and Legal Issues Washington, D.C.
  55. ↑ Fogarty, Brian J.; Curtis, Jessica; Gouzien, Patricia Frances; Kimball, David C.; Vorst, Eric C. (2015-04-01). "News attention to voter fraud in the 2008 and 2012 US elections". Research & Politics 2 (2). doi:10.1177/2053168015587156. ISSN 2053-1680.
  56. ↑ Hicks, William D.; McKee, Seth C.; Sellers, Mitchell D.; Smith, Daniel A. (2015-03-01). "A Principle or a Strategy? Voter Identification Laws and Partisan Competition in the American States". Political Research Quarterly 68 (1): 18–33. doi:10.1177/1065912914554039. ISSN 1065-9129.
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  58. ↑ "Voter ID is a hot topic but will Alabama’s ID law stop election fraud". Anniston Star. July 15, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  59. ↑ "Voter ID law not yet submitted to feds.". All Alabama. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  60. ↑ "Alabama photo voter ID law". AllAlabama.com. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  61. ↑ "Alabama Photo Voter Identification". Alabamavoterid.com. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  62. ↑ "Lynn Revisits Law". Alaska Daily News. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  63. ↑ "House Journal". Alaska State Legislature. January 16, 2013.
  64. ↑ "Proof of Identification at the Polls".
  65. ↑ "Arkansas Judge Finds State Voter-ID Law Unconstitutional". Wall Street Journal. May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  66. ↑ "Martin, et al. v. Kohls et al., 2014 Ark. 427, 444 S.W.3d 496 (Ark. 2014)". Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  67. ↑ "Where and How to Vote". California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  68. ↑ "List of Acceptable Forms of ID". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
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  71. ↑ "General Voting Information". Florida Division of Elections. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  72. ↑ "Complicated History of Georgia Voting". The GRIO MSNBC. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  73. ↑ "Hawaii Voter ID Law No Big Deal". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  74. ↑ "Voting in Hawaii". Office of Elections. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  75. ↑ "Idaho voting". IdahoVotes.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  76. ↑ "Illinois Voter ID Bill". Huff Post Chicago. February 29, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
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  78. ↑ "Iowa House Panel OK's". Omaha.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  79. ↑ "Voter ID Now Kansas Law". cjonline.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
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  82. ↑ "Maine Election Information". Rock the Vote. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  83. ↑ "Proposed Voter ID ...". MarylandReporter.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  84. ↑ "Voter checklist". Boston.com. November 6, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  85. ↑ "Secretary of State outlines voter identification policies". Michigan Secretary of State. September 5, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  86. ↑ "Registering to Vote". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  87. ↑ Wing, Nicholas (July 6, 2012). "Mississippi Voter ID Law...". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  88. ↑ "Voter rights act ruling clears...". gulflive.com. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
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  91. ↑ "Lawmakers Revisit Voter ID Bill". JournalStar.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
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  94. ↑ "New York Voting Registration". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  95. ↑ "North Carolina legislators...". FayObserver. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  96. ↑ "ND Senate passes...". SayAnythingBlog. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  97. ↑ "Oklahome Voter ID Law Not Like...". Tulsa World. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  98. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions About Voter Identification". Ohio Secretary of State. 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  99. ↑ Higgs, Robert (January 31, 2013). "Ohio House may again...". Cleveland.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  100. ↑ "Oregon Escapes Voter ID Fight". Roll Call. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  101. ↑ "Determination on Declaratory Relief and Permanent Injunction" (PDF). Pennsylvania Commonwealth Courts. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  102. ↑ Bidgood, Jess (September 11, 2012). "Rhode Island Primary Tests...". NY Times. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  103. ↑ Standera, Renee. "US District Court upholds South Carolina Voter ID law". WMBF-TV. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  104. ↑ "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SC vs. US Ruling" (PDF). UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
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  106. ↑ "Voter ID Laws Haven't Changed". American News. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
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  109. ↑ "Texas AG Greg Abbot...". Dallas News. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  110. ↑ "Courts reject Texas and Wisconsin voter ID laws". BBC News. October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  111. ↑ "Supreme Court allows Texas voter ID law for now". CNN. October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
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  113. ↑ "Voter ID Laws". Vote Utah 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  114. ↑ Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 17, Chapter 51, "Conduct of Elections", §2563, retrieved March 30, 2015.
  115. ↑ "Supreme Court Will...". The Roanoke Star. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  116. ↑ "With Voting Rights Act...". PBS Frontline. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  117. ↑ "Print a Voter Registration Form". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  118. ↑ McNulty, Timothy (January 7, 2013). "West Virginia GOP...". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  119. ↑ "Divided court upholds Wisconsin's voter ID law". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  120. ↑ "Federal Appeals Court Permits Wisconsin Voter ID Law". The New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  121. ↑ Liptak, Adam (October 9, 2014) - "Courts Strike Down Voter ID Laws in Wisconsin and Texas". The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  122. ↑ Barnes, Robert (October 9, 2014) - "Supreme Court Blocks Wisconsin Voter ID Law". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  123. ↑ "Don't Rush to Change...". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  124. ↑ "Voter Identification Requirements". October 31, 2014.
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