There are many instances where people who are indeed citizens may not have proper proof of citizenship, disproportionately among older Americans, college students, poorer Americans, victims of fires, and those who have moved around a lot. Passports are a relatively expensive document. Birth certificates and Social Security cards are fragile paper. Driver’s licenses are also not ubiquitous among people who cannot afford a car. Higher bars to be able to vote like this disenfranchise millions of Americans, often historically marginalized racial and ethnic minority communities.
It is easier to prove residency than citizenship, because most people receive physical mail which is enough proof to register to vote in many states. Homeless shelters can also provide proof of residency. And there is very little evidence of undocumented immigrants voting in national elections. It’s a Boogeyman because Republicans want to suppress the votes of marginalized groups that disproportionately vote Democrat. Undocumented immigrants tend to do their best to stay away from high risk things like breaking laws and giving the government their information because of the risk of deportation.
The should just make getting an ID card cheaper or free once per decade or something. A long list of reasons why people cannot properly ID themselves just seems like governmental failure to me.
A national ID card is the sane option, but many are afraid it will lead to further government overreach. Mostly I’ve heard that national ID cards are the first step in a national gun registry, which (they argue) inevitably leads to firearm bans and seizures.
Put an ID booth in every post office and DMV, make them free or means-adjusted. Easy peasy. There would still be some people who fall through the cracks, but it should be fewer.
There are many instances where people who are indeed citizens may not have proper proof of citizenship, disproportionately among older Americans, college students, poorer Americans, victims of fires, and those who have moved around a lot. Passports are a relatively expensive document. Birth certificates and Social Security cards are fragile paper. Driver’s licenses are also not ubiquitous among people who cannot afford a car. Higher bars to be able to vote like this disenfranchise millions of Americans, often historically marginalized racial and ethnic minority communities.
It is easier to prove residency than citizenship, because most people receive physical mail which is enough proof to register to vote in many states. Homeless shelters can also provide proof of residency. And there is very little evidence of undocumented immigrants voting in national elections. It’s a Boogeyman because Republicans want to suppress the votes of marginalized groups that disproportionately vote Democrat. Undocumented immigrants tend to do their best to stay away from high risk things like breaking laws and giving the government their information because of the risk of deportation.
The should just make getting an ID card cheaper or free once per decade or something. A long list of reasons why people cannot properly ID themselves just seems like governmental failure to me.
A national ID card is the sane option, but many are afraid it will lead to further government overreach. Mostly I’ve heard that national ID cards are the first step in a national gun registry, which (they argue) inevitably leads to firearm bans and seizures.
Put an ID booth in every post office and DMV, make them free or means-adjusted. Easy peasy. There would still be some people who fall through the cracks, but it should be fewer.
Yeah, I don’t know if those people not voting is nessecarily a bad thing. They can choose, get an ID and vote or have the librulz decide without you.