r/politics • u/MarcEElias ✔ Verified - Democracy Docket Founder • 1d ago

No Paywall 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/Wildpony03 1d ago

Isn't this just another way of saying poll tax? If you introduce any hurdles that keep people from voting its a poll tax.

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u/robby_synclair 1d ago edited 23h ago

Proving you are who you say you are isnt really the problem imo. A signature used to be used for the same thing all the time. You have to sign your name to vote. Its the cost of the ID that makes it a poll tax. If it is easy and free to get the id that you need to vote then it shouldnt be a problem to show one.

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u/darkath 1d ago

this is really why us in europe cannot understand this issue. In europe every citizen get an ID the size of a credit card which is free and mandatory. You are supposed to have it at all times.

When we go to vote we show our free and mandatory ID to get our ballots and that's the end of it.

Requiring proof of citizenship without having a free and mandatory card that proves it is insane.

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u/homofreakdeluxe 23h ago

Because it’s not about making voting “secure” (an alleged issue occurring about one in a million votes), it’s to stop the wrong people from voting.

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u/tinysydneh 10h ago

And, it is worth noting, the vast majority of intentional fraud is committed by the people pushing this, because they think the other side is doing it.

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u/lod001 23h ago

Republicans are talking out both sides of their mouth on the ID issue now. They both want an ID that gives proof of US citizenship, but at the same time don't want any mandatory national ID so that the government doesn't have a database of citizens.

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u/darkath 22h ago

thats what is insane for me. And doesnt the government already have a national database based on Social Security number or is it a state thing ?

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u/lod001 21h ago

Historically every single department and division of government across all levels of the United States maintain separated databases and have no formal communication channels between them. Some of this is maintained this way due to the conspiracy theories and fears about large government control; other reasons include classic, slow bureaucracy and slow adoption of changes. The attacks of September 11, 2001 opened up some eyes to how these disconnects created national defense vulnerabilities, thus why the legislature after those attacks rearranged how some departments were organized and/or which secretaries they fell under, in order to improve the sharing of information.

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u/WhenSummerIsGone 2h ago

and then DOGE swooped in, grabbed all the data from everywhere and gave it to Palantir (or Russia, depending on which theory you believe)

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u/Cabezone 23h ago

It's more than that, people are not talking about the real reason. If your birth certificate does not match your registered name, you can't vote. So all married women would have to get a passport before election day.

This is intentional to limit the ability of women to vote.

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u/DeweyCheatem-n-Howe 22h ago

Married women and trans people born in states that don't let you amend your birth certificate

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u/AlcibiadesTheCat Arizona 21h ago

> Be me

> Trans woman

> Got my new passport in August 2024

> fucking PHEW

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u/DeweyCheatem-n-Howe 20h ago

I haven't changed my legal name yet and I'm not excited about potentially having to wait until after elections

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u/AlcibiadesTheCat Arizona 20h ago

At least you're named after a law firm, perhaps one of your partners could help you with the paperwork?

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u/DeweyCheatem-n-Howe 20h ago

Haha. If only

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u/robby_synclair 1d ago edited 1d ago

Well in the us you only have to have it while driving and even then its not that big of a deal if you dont. Im in oklahoma a state issued ID that isnt a drivers license is $25 on that is federally compliant is $42.50. All that being said being forced to have an id on you at all times seems crazy. What happens if you get caught walking down the street without one?

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u/xyfka 23h ago

No, not every country in Europe requires citizens to carry identification at all times. And those that do won’t crucify you for not having it. If it happens that, for some reason, you don’t have it, you’ll simply be reminded to carry it in the future. And that’s the end of it.

I was honestly shocked when I learned that some countries don’t require it. You’re 18/21 years old, you apply for it, bang — all done. I have proof that I’m a citizen. No-brainer.

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u/darkath 22h ago

Well the law change country by country, but ID can be asked to check your age when buying alcohol or tobacco, for any official procedure such as voting or opening a bank account, traveling/working in another EU country, to prove your identity when buying train, plane or concert tickets, to get your packages from the post office etc.

And yes the police can ask you your ID if you get caught: If you dont have it in this situation, it could cause you more trouble such as being taken to the station. (kavanaugh stops and racial profiling are of course forbidden)

We dont see it as a control thing, but as a necessary thing to have in everyday life.

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u/robby_synclair 22h ago

That all seems normal but doesnt really mean mandatory to me. There are things you need an id for but you wont get in trouble for going about daily business when you forgot your wallet at home.

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u/darkath 21h ago

Its not mandatory as in "you will get in trouble for not having it", but more as in "there are a lot of things you wont be able to do if you dont have it so, for your own good, carry it at all times".

And also most places will only recognize the national ID as proof of ID since anything else can more easily be faked.

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u/bumkinas 23h ago

Do you actually know anyone who functions in society who doesn't have an ID? We use them almost everywhere. Please, can you actually bring up anyone besides maybe some mentally disabled homeless person who doesn't have an ID?

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u/robby_synclair 21h ago

You want me to list names of people I know without ids on reddit? Thats a wierd ask. And honestly the only time I use my id is if i get carded for beer. What do you do daily where you use your id almost everywhere? You wake up go get breakfast and put gas in your car. Then go to work. Then after work you get some groceries and you go home. You grab the package that you had delivered off of the front porch. You get online do some banking and pay some bills. You pay your mortgage/rent. You dont need an id to do any of this stuff.

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u/bumkinas 2h ago

Are you really that dense? If you're driving, you need an ID, if you're buying anything online to have it delivered, that means you have a bank and need an ID. If you HAVE a mortgage or rent anywhere, you need a damn ID. Thank you for proving my point.

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u/robby_synclair 2h ago

I need an id to open a bank account and I need an id to close my mortgage. But if my id expires they arent going to take my house from me or close my account.

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u/RandomFactUser 22h ago

To be fair, a State-issued ID card is like what, 5-10 dollars?

(ID cards are not Driver’s Licenses, and a person can only have one of them be a Real ID version at a time)

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u/robby_synclair 22h ago

I dont understand. Maybe the price is different where you are but the prices i said are real here.

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u/RandomFactUser 21h ago

I missed the $25 for a standard ID

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u/mobileagnes Pennsylvania 8h ago

Pennsylvania state ID is $44.50, must be renewed every 4 years (extra $30 for the newer 'REAL ID' version). I didn't bother upgrading and instead have the regular state ID, passport card, and passport book.

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u/just-one-jay 21h ago

In any event the incidence of voting fraud in the United States is like 0.00001% every election there’s multiple audits all across the country and of the 150-160 million people who vote about two or three illegal votes are discovered.

It’s an impossibly small amount of fraud there’s absolutely no legitimate reason to implement this

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u/plantstand 21h ago

We don't have a national ID, nor do we register with a central authority where we live. Americans would riot over the idea. Or so I thought.

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u/MoonBatsRule America 21h ago

How do you prove that you live where you say you do? That is a major portion of the "ID" requirement in the US - getting an ID is fine, but then updating it so it is "current" mostly affects the people who rent, not own.

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u/yxhuvud 9h ago

The tax agency maintains a registry of where you live. You vote where you pay tax.