Supreme Court says it’s OK to require voters to show ID. Will this “disenfranchise” older voters?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080428/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_voter_id
There have been many reports of voter fraud each election. This includes people voting when they are not able to vote.
Is this a good ruling or will it “deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots?”
BTW, have you ever been asked to show ID when you voted?
I have been voting since 1975. Recently the only reason I show ID is to help the little old lady/man find my name in their ledger. They never ask for it. The “ID” I show is my sample ballot! I’m sure there are people voting that shouldn’t be. It is easy to buy a fake DL (I’ve heard).
I live in San Diego County (CA – the land of fruits and nuts)!
I’m a nut!
TRAVIS

CARSON
IDs shouldn’t be a problem.
DELBERT
Everytime I have ever voted.
NOAH
I have always been asked to provide an ID when voting
You should have to prove who you are to make sure you are elgible to vote
Anyone with a problem with showing an ID to vote is more than likely trying to do something fishy
ROCCO
I see no problem with it. In Georgia, they will give a free state ID if money is an issue for getting one.
ZACHERY
I don’t see a problem. I have always had to show and ID to verify I am in fact the same person on the list of registered voters.
JAY
Yes, here in Florida I have had to show ID every time I voted, and I think it is a good thing. I don’t think it will or should deter any one from voting, there is no reason for it to if they are who they say they are and most everyone has some form of ID.
JOSEPH
I’v been asked each and everytime.
Alabama requires a photo ID OR a power bill statement??
I perfer a drivers licence or a state issued ID card…
There is too much that can go wrong or be wrangled with any other way…
If you do not have a drivers licence, a state issued ID is easy to get. Often done in the same department where regular drivers licence are issued.
NICHOLAS
I have not had to show ID but don’t think it is a bad idea to have people do that…
My parents are near 80 years old and both have ID…it might give some of the poorer people a problem as some have no ID…but if we don’t do this voter fraud will continue…
AARON
I’m from Indiana. Indiana is the state with this particular voter ID law. I am also a Democratic Judge at the polls. I would have to say the law has worked fine at my polling site, but it’s in a more affluent area of the state. If you don’t have a driver’s license, you must come up with a photo ID that can be obtained at a the BMV. I do question why the law was enacted. There’s been no evidence in Indiana of voter fraud.
CLAYTON
Why does it scare democrats and liberals to have someone show an ID card. The very people you describe have some or all of the following which you have to have an ID to get A CASINO PLAYERS CARD, A LIBRARY CARD, A DRIVER LICENSE, A CREDIT CARD, A PAYDAY LOAN. Nice try but you get no banana.
HERMAN
You should have to show your I.D. when you vote. Who could possibly have an issue with that?
JOAN
I am an ‘older’ voter and I see no problem with this requirement. I have always been asked for ID.
AURELIO
Democrats are the only ones who have a problem with this ! Because they will lose all of there illegal votes.
THAD
If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t play – the rules say you have to be eligible!
JUAN
I always get asked for my ID when I vote.
HUGO
You should have your voters registration card, and a valid
ID,, without it,, No Vote period,
LINDSEY
I don’t know where you live, but here in Tennessee we have to show them our driver’s licenses before we vote. Then, they give us a cool sticker and we wait in line.
JUSTIN
The only people it will disenfranchise are the poor,who may or may not have a drivers lisence.A friend of mine is disabled,and basically never leaves her house,in Oregon we have mail in voting…But if forced to show I.D. she couldnt,she doesnt need any since she doesnt go anywhere,people like her will be affacted.That being said,I do think our voting system needs to be revamped.We need a paper trail,some way to assure people are who they say they are,and I believe there should be a simple civics exam before people are allowed to vote.The fact of the matter is…there are huge numbers of people who vote,and have no idea what it is they are voting on.You should at least be able to name the president,what party he/she belongs to and the 3 branced of government.Maybe throw in a current affairs question also…like”what country are we currently involved in a “war ” with.
SHANNON
They don’t ask for it where I live. I think it should be required! Go Supremes!
DARRIN
In Wisconsin 2 letters to an address in your voting area will suffice. You can show a picture ID if you want but they don’t specifically ask for it. The way I see it, if someone is not able to obtain an ID card, which is a very simple process in itself, then probably they shouldn’t be making decisions about politics.
DREW
Older and poorer people don’t drive and if a drivers license is going to be shown, that will be a problem.
Just getting to a place where a non drivers ID could be obtained would also be a problem. I do think it will disenfranchise many of the elderly and poor. I don’t think it will have that much of an impact on minorities.
BTW few of those reports of voter fraud are accurate, when examined they either fall apart or have no effect on the outcome.
I’ve never been asked to show ID but my signature on in the voter registration card is compared to my last signature.
Anything that makes it more difficult for people to vote should be suspect.
We can’t really get so many Americans to vote, we have such low turnouts. The idea that someone would care so much that they would stuff a ballot box,(which isn’t much used here) is almost heartening. At least someone cares.
MARC
I don’t think so. I think most older people need it for medicaid, medicaire, health care etc in any event. I know my 97 year old grandmother had fistfuls of ID when she died.
I used to think this was no problem at all. Since running into Ron Paul in researching candidates I do begin to question things like Real ID, mostly because of governmental databases and tracking of private citizen transactions, however.
OLIVER
The only segment of the population that this ruling will hurt are those who are not supposed to be voting anyway. I have never been asked to show identification other than my voter registration card, but I would not mind in the least if I were forced to prove my identification and the fact that I am eligible to vote. It is always said that voting is the most sacred right we have aside from religious freedom, yet it is treated with the least reverence and almost no protection from misuse.