This morning, Texas Governor Rick
Perry signed SB 14, which will institute strict photo-ID requirements for
anyone wishing to vote in the state. Project Vote Executive Director Michael
Slater issued the following statement in response:
Presented
under the guise of addressing the mythical threat of “voter impersonation,” the real effect and intent of this
legislation will be to disenfranchise tens of thousands of Texas voters,
particularly young voters, seniors, and low-income residents.
SB
14 requires every voter to present a specific form of Texas identification,
from a very limited list of options, including a driver’s license, a state ID card, a military ID, or
other government issued photo identification. While this may sound like a
reasonable requirement in a society that requires photo ID for routine
transactions, we must remember that voting is a right, not a privilege. Setting
up new hurdles that otherwise eligible voters must jump on their way to vote is
a severe blow to our democracy.
What
this law will do is cost Texas tax payers millions of dollars, and accomplish
nothing except to disenfranchise eligible voters. According to a Brennan Center
survey, up to 11% of United States citizens do not have unexpired or recently
expired government-issued photographic identification of the types required by
SB 14. The requirement will be especially hard on low-income 18-24 year olds
(including students), low-income citizens, senior citizens, and voters living
in urban areas—all of whom are less likely to have
photo ID.
What
this law will not do is prevent a single instance of voter fraud. A review of
Texas law enforcement efforts to find voter fraud—including
a comprehensive effort by the Attorney General that ended in 2008—found absolutely no voter fraud that would be
stopped by requiring photo identification. The few cases of voter fraud
prosecuted in Texas have involved mail-in ballots, which SB 14 does not
address.
The
signing into law of SB 14 represents a setback for democracy in the State of
Texas, and another blow delivered
in what has become a nationwide assault on voting rights. Republican lawmakers
have introduced voter ID legislation in 32 states this year, despite its
expense, in direct contradiction to research that shows voter impersonation to
be virtually non-existent, and with complete disregard for the thousands of
eligible voters who will be prevented from casting a ballot.