Why It Matters - Voter ID Laws

While it may seem reasonable that voting in U.S. elections requires a government-issued I.D., there are three main reasons we oppose such laws.

1. Voter I.D. laws disproportionately affect the poor, the elderly, young adults, and minorities. These are the groups with the least access to government offices to obtain an I.D. Fifteen to 25 percent of the people in each of these groups do not currently have a government-issued I.D.
2. Voter I.D. laws disproportionately affect women, since most women who marry take their husband's name. If a woman's name is not properly updated, it can prevent her from exercising her right to vote.
3. Voter fraud is extremely rare in this country, with fewer than 0.00000013 percent of known cases. To spend time and money fighting something that effectively doesn't exist is a monumental waste of resources.

As of November 2013, a total of 34 states have passed Voter ID requirements. Not all are in force currently, either due to future implementation dates or court challenges. The laws vary in detail and requirements. Check here for detailed information by state.

• 20 states require photo ID to vote
• 14 states have non-photo ID requirements

Source: Ballotpedia.org