Carding Democracy
In recent years, more and more states—fueled by exaggerated fears of fraudulent voting—have enacted laws requiring that a voter present photographic identification at the polls.
Although details of the laws vary, they all deter otherwise-eligible voters from going to the polls. Those hit hardest are the same groups traditionally marginalized in our election process: African Americans, Spanish speakers, low-income individuals, disabled voters, and youth.
The stated rationale for the measures—preventing voter fraud—is baseless. Photo ID laws prevent only one kind of voter fraud: impersonation at the polling place, in which an individual poses as a particular eligible voter and votes as that person. This sort of voter fraud is extremely rare.
The impact of this “solution” to the phantom problem of voter impersonation is not trifling; millions of dollars must be devoted to implementation, free IDs, and voter education. While photo ID exacts a steep financial cost, disenfranchising our most vulnerable citizens takes an incalculable toll on democracy.
Most Recent / Relevant Items
- (207)
- (143)
- (11)
- (32)
- (22)
Advanced Filters and Sorting
It’s Never Been More Important to Protect the Right to Vote
The Nation's Ari Berman writes on the ways voting rights groups are combatting voter suppression. Read more
The Truth Behind Wisconsin’s Voter ID Law
The truth behind Wisconsin’s voter ID law is a thinly veiled effort to keep some citizens from casting a ballot. But Project Vote partners are working to help. Read more
Legislative Threats and Opportunities Update
While legislative activity has slowed over the summer, the legal battles over election laws are heating up. Project Vote Legislative Director Marissa Liebling discusses the current landscape. Read more
Will the Latino ‘sleeping giant’ wake and vote this November?
During the past few presidential elections, national media began to speculate on the effect of the Latino electorate and even gave it the moniker “the sleeping giant.” But every year, despite increased potential, it seemed that giant hadn’t yet awakened. Indicators suggest this could be the year... Read more
Voter ID Rulings Serve as a Stark Reminder of Missing Protections in 2016
Recent court victories against voter suppression just underline the missing protections of the Voting Rights Act in this crucial election year. Read more
As state voter ID laws fall, Florida shines — for now
At a conference on voting and elections at the University of Florida, officials from the ACLU, NAACP, Project Vote, and the Brennan Center sketched the litigation landscape in 2016. Read more
Atkins: Lower courts striking down voter ID laws
In a series of rulings over the last two weeks, appellate courts across the country have been filling in the hole blown out of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 three years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court... Read more
Project Vote Statement on North Carolina Ruling
Project Vote's president, Michael Slater, issues a statement on the striking down of North Carolina's infamous voter suppression law. Read more
Legislative Threats and Opportunities Update
In 2016, the trend in voting bills has been towards modernizing the voter registration process to make voting more accessible. But the threat from lawmakers to pass laws that make it harder for citizens to vote remains, and this will be the first election cycle in fifty years without the protections of the Voting Rights Act. Read more
The Struggle to Protect Voting Rights Continues in 2016
Project Vote intern Julia Burzynski explores the repercussions of the first major election without voting protections that were once guaranteed by the Voting Rights Act. Read more