# Voter ID laws are driving down minority turnout...but I'm for them anyway **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 11, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861 "2016-02-11T22:30:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/101 "2016-02-14T09:13:02Z")
I’m being excessively cranky (and I’ll apologize for that), so I’m going to drop out of this thread (it’s been an irritating month). And now that Scalia has passed, any analysis of the legal issues would involve an immense amount of guesswork, so there’s probably no point in trying to argue over the legal issues. It might be an interesting legal research paper, though. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/102 "2016-02-14T12:17:51Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > What a lot of other people don’t get is that fighting for people’s right to vote without ID looks really shady to a lot of people who don’t know anyone without ID. Exactly. It \*sounds \* sleazy, whether it is or isn’t. It raises red flags in people’s minds. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/103 "2016-02-14T14:56:23Z")
Virginia, for example, allows any registered voter to get a voter ID card from their local registrar to use to vote, up to Election Day. I think they mail them out to voters too. [http://elections.virginia.gov/registration/photo-ids-required-to-vote/](http://elections.virginia.gov/registration/photo-ids-required-to-vote/) That makes it awful hard to say a lack of ID makes it harder to vote. It’s one more step, yes, and they may not be aware of it, but just as registration is required, this is required, and the solution is to make people aware of it and help them get the required document. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/104 "2016-02-14T19:35:57Z")
Do those qualify as photo ID? ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/105 "2016-02-14T21:24:24Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Do those qualify as photo ID? Yes, for voting purposes at least. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/106 "2016-02-14T21:26:46Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Do those qualify as photo ID? As per the webpage, it’s sufficient ID **for voting** , which is what’s at issue here (which makes sense because otherwise why would the Elections office issue them?). Underlinings mine: > [@elections.virginia.gov](#): > > **If you don’t have one of these photo IDs, or you do but it’s expired, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!** > > Simply go to your nearest Voter Registration Office (click here for a complete list) and apply for a free Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. > > You can apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card throughout the year from any local voter registration office, even on Election Day. Once you have completed the Virginia Voter Photo Identification Card Application (English | Español) in the presence of a designated Virginia Election Official, they will take your picture and have you sign a digital signature pad. Your Virginia Voter Photo ID Card will be printed and mailed to your address on file in the Voter Registration System. > > In special circumstances, a designated Virginia Election Official will print a Temporary Identification Document which you may use while awaiting your Virginia Voter Photo ID Card to arrive in the mail, which usually takes approximately two to four weeks. Voters who receive a Temporary Identification Document prior to an upcoming election may use their Temporary Identification Document to cast a regular ballot on Election Day or when voting in-person absentee prior to the election. > > Voters who register to vote for the first time may simultaneously apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card when they submit their voter registration application. According to the documents, it’s for people who _do not already_ have a valid DL, Passport, government ID, University ID, employer ID. From the application, it does NOT seem to require presenting additional documentation beyond that used to register to vote in the first place. So it looks like Virginia is heading in the direction of providing dedicated voter-photo-ID , with the likely major issue being \*how hard or easy it is to get yourself to a Registration Office to get one. \* ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/107 "2016-02-14T21:30:59Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > So it looks like Virginia is heading in the direction of providing dedicated voter-photo-ID , with the likely major issue being \*how hard or easy it is to get yourself to a Registration Office to get one. \* I agree that it’s not that hard, however, the question should also be “how important is an ID in the first place?” If there’s no evidence of voter fraud, making people go through one more hoop to vote isn’t called for. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/108 "2016-02-15T04:22:46Z")
Now here’s the kind of thing we should be fighting against: > **[Obtain Voter ID: The Fifth Wednesday of Any Month](https://ivn.us/2012/07/23/obtain-voter-id-the-fifth-wednesday-of-any-month)** > [@](#): > > To obtain that identification, the state office must of course be open. The Brennan Center found that many ID-issuing offices have highly restricted or irregular hours of operation. > > In Wisconsin, Alabama and Mississippi, less than half are open five days a week. No such offices are open on Saturdays in Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Texas and Wisconsin. And none are open on Sunday in any of the ten states considered in the study. > > The study also found evidence of absurdly “idiosyncratic” hours of operation. The office in Sauk City, Wisconsin, for instance, is only open on the fifth Wednesday of any month, which means that it is only open five days a year. Offices in other states were found to be open just one day a month . ---
**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:** [February 15, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/109 "2016-02-15T05:30:26Z")
[QUOTE=Texas Election Code] Sec. 63.0101. DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION. The following documentation is an acceptable form of photo identification under this chapter: (1) a driver’s license, election identification certificate, or personal identification card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; (2) a United States military identification card that contains the person’s photograph that has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; (3) a United States citizenship certificate issued to the person that contains the person’s photograph; (4) a United States passport issued to the person that has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; or (5) a license to carry a handgun issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation. [/QUOTE] I don’t know how anyone can read that and doubt the law’s actual purpose. Oh, and just for fun, the state does offer a “free” voter ID card. You need a birth certificate special for this purpose. The birth certificate costs $6.00, which sounds about six bucks north of free, to me. (And that is only if you’re born in Texas.) But, the best part is that you have to present a photo ID when you submit the application to get the birth certificate to get the… photo ID. Does anyone doubt what the law is actually about? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/110 "2016-02-15T06:16:31Z")
We can argue about the effect and intent of the laws, but I think it’s clear, and it’s always been clear, that the intent of the LAWMAKERS who advocate for and pass them is to reduce the influence of demographics who don’t generally vote for them. Just look at the other laws they’ve been passing, like doing away with early voting. Now, you may say that their intent shouldn’t have any value in the discussion if the laws themselves are sound, and people have certainly done that. But I think it has to be acknowledged that Republican lawmakers are being, at the very best, right for the wrong reasons. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/111 "2016-02-15T06:33:30Z")
Of course. But it’s stupid to oppose that by appearing to be wrong, even for the right reasons. In re: the Catch-22 of needing photo ID to get a birth certificate. We do know that identity theft is a real problem. How do you start the process of proving who you really are? ---
**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:** [February 15, 2016, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/112 "2016-02-15T11:53:37Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Now here’s the kind of thing we should be fighting against: Yes! And that applies even without voter ID. It’s common in many states. Registration should be easy. One should be able to register at the DMV, not just a registrar, and by mail. And one should be able to VOTE by mail. A few states do this with no problems. It’s much cheaper too. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Call_Me.Tim)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/113 "2016-02-15T17:49:46Z")
In Washington State, voting by mail is not just an option, it’s the default. (I tend to drop mine off directly at the county courthouse, but the principle is the same.) The sky has not fallen, and actual voting places exist for the tiny minority who prefer them. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861/114 "2016-02-16T22:02:54Z")
The sky has not fallen for YOU. For some people who formerly enjoyed a private vote that canceled their father’s or husband’s, or who used to not vote at all, maybe a different story but not one you’ll see on the evening news. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voter-id-laws-are-driving-down-minority-turnout-but-im-for-them-anyway/745861.md?page=5)