# U.S. passport not acceptable ID for voting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 6, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718 "2015-10-06T14:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/41 "2015-10-10T10:12:11Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Because it isn’t really about proving you have the right to vote. It’s about trying to keep the wrong sort of people from voting. People with military IDs are much less likely to be the wrong sort of people. I would have suspected that peolle affluent enough to be prepared to travel internationally would also be less likely to be the wrong sort of people… ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/42 "2015-10-10T16:41:52Z")
I don’t know, all those people who said they’d leave the country if Bush was elected/reelected come to mind … ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/43 "2015-10-10T17:04:53Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I would have suspected that peolle affluent enough to be prepared to travel internationally would also be less likely to be the wrong sort of people… I think **SIlophant** was referring to liberals, who are affluent enough to travel but unlikely to vote Republican. Ohio’s legislature is notorious for tilting the field in favor of Republican house candidates. It’s one of the most thoroughly gerrymandered states in the country. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/44 "2015-10-10T17:34:53Z")
Allowing the military ID but not the passport I can imagine the meeting… Person A: “OK, the ID requirement must show both idendity and legal domicile” Person B: “So, no passports, then?” Person A: “No, no passport, anyway someone with a passport will have another ID. What kind of snob goes around flashing his passport in his own country but does not have a driving license?” Person B: “What about military ID” Person A: “But of course, that’s a no brainer” Person C: “Wait, military ID does not show legal domicile” Person A: “…It doesn’t…?” Person B: " Egads. Can you imagine the headlines?" Person C: “Yeah, ‘State Does Not Support The Troops Voting’ that would be terrible. But then how do we justify that they don’t need the domicile ID?” Person A: “We don’t. Anyone complains we tell 'em it’s a matter of we gotta Suport The Troops, end of argument.” ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/45 "2015-10-10T18:32:53Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I would have suspected that peolle affluent enough to be prepared to travel internationally would also be less likely to be the wrong sort of people… Bingo. A valid US passport is an acceptable form of photo ID to vote in Texas. Of course, we also have a “free” voter ID card for those that cannot afford the other six forms of photo ID (TX DL, TX ID, TX CHL, US military ID, citizenship paper w/ photo, US passport). To get the free ID, you need a birth certificate. Of course, there is a cost associated with that. But, we have a low-cost version that is acceptable for getting the voter ID card. However, to get that special birth certificate (that looks just like the regular birth certificate except that it is marked “valid for voter ID only”), you need… …wait for it… …can you guess…? Yes, to get the birth certificate for the photo voter ID, you need… a PHOTO ID! Ding, ding, ding! How anyone can possibly believe that the point of the photo ID is to prove the voter’s identity is utterly beyond my ability to comprehend. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/46 "2015-10-25T18:43:34Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The President and Vice President are indeed elected in a Federal election. There’s not really any such thing as a federal election. The states elect electors to the Electoral College. That’s by design - the states didn’t want any federal elections run by the federal government. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718/47 "2015-10-25T18:44:48Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > I think **SIlophant** was referring to liberals, who are affluent enough to travel but unlikely to vote Republican. I hope that comma was a mistake, because it implies that ALL liberals are affluent enough to travel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-passport-not-acceptable-id-for-voting/733718.md?page=2)