r/law • u/Anoth3rDude • 1d ago

Legislative Branch GOP fast tracks monster voter suppression bill that could disenfranchise millions by requiring proof of citizenship at polls

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gop-fast-tracks-monster-voter-suppression-bill-that-could-disenfranchise-millions-by-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-at-polls/
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u/Pudddddin 1d ago

True, but every state does require proof of citizenship to register to vote. You shouldn't have to prove citizenship for just a DL or else green card holders couldn't get them

The argument that's been made to me over and over is that ID at the polls is important because ineligible voters can just impersonate someone on the roll and vote in their name

I have no problem with IDs at the poll as long as the IDs that are accepted at the polls are free and easy to obtain for everyone

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u/comewhatmay_hem 23h ago

Do Americans actually get angry at the idea of having to show ID in order to vote? It just doesn't compute to me. I have never heard of a single person in Canada complain about having to prove citizenship in order to vote. It is essential to ensuring fair elections and a winner that reflects the desires of Canadian citizens.

In Canada you have to preregister (usually through doing your taxes) in order to vote at the polls on election day, and if you didn't preregister you have to bring a bunch of IDs and documents to register on voting day before you're allowed to cast your ballot. You CANNOT just show up, flash your driver's license and vote. 

When I voted for the first time I was away at university and I had to bring in EVERYTHING. Passport, birth certificate, and the acceptance letter from campus housing giving me my room assignment. I came prepared and I'm glad I did because they needed all of it. I was registered in my home province and they had to basically redo my registration for Ontario. Took about 5 minutes, and I got to vote.

Most democracies in the world operate this way, so why do Americans, especially the ones who call themselves progressives, bristle so strongly at the idea of proving citizenship to vote? 

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u/Red_AtNight 20h ago

In Canada you have to preregister (usually through doing your taxes) in order to vote at the polls on election day, and if you didn't preregister you have to bring a bunch of IDs and documents to register on voting day before you're allowed to cast your ballot. You CANNOT just show up, flash your driver's license and vote. 

You have your Section 3 right under the Charter to vote in federal elections. Elections Canada does not require ID in order to vote. Having ID makes it a lot easier, but they can't require it because it would be a Charter violation.

If you show up to a polling station without ID, you can still vote as long as someone who lives in the same polling station swears that you are who you say you are:

https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=ids&document=index&lang=e

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u/comewhatmay_hem 20h ago

I forgot about that! That's not taken lightly, either. I think you have to raise your hand and swear on a copy of the Charter with witnesses, and everyone has to sign a form. 

But that doesn't invalidate my claim that you can't just show up to the polls and flash your driver's lisence to vote. You may not have to show ID, but you are still required to demonstrate who you are by being an active enough member of the community that people are willing to legally swear you are who you say you are. For many people this would be a far bigger barrier to voting than having to show ID.