A new report shows that up to 10 million Hispanics will be dissuaded from voting in the upcoming election because of new voter ID laws that were put in place after the election of Barack Obama.
STORY: This Ain’t Right! 10 Million Latinos Could Be Stopped From Voting
Thirty-three states have enacted new Republican-backed voter ID laws, which disproportionately affect the elderly, people of color and low-income workers – all these groups tend to vote Democratic.
Voting opponents say that obtaining photo ID to fulfill the new voting law requirements is problematic for many people due to cost (a birth certificate can cost up to $25) and other burdensome barriers.
According to the NYU Brennan Center, 23 million Americans, 18 years old and over, lack necessary photo ID and could be turned away from the polls during this November at the presidential election.
Prior to the overhaul of new ID laws, registered voters were permitted to use other common forms of ID, such as a utility bill or student ID in some states. But this is no longer permissible in many states.
Because of the new laws, 250,000 registered voters in Pennsylvania, the largest swing state, who have voted in the past, will not be able to vote in this upcoming election. In Texas, a student cannot use his ID to vote, however a gun owner could use their firearm license.
Republicans argue that the new voter ID laws were implemented to prevent voter fraud, but a number of non-partisan organizations contest that widespread voter fraud even exists.
Here’s more information about the new laws according to the Brennan Center:
– 14 states require a government-issued photo ID when voting in person. By contrast before 2011, only two states had ever imposed strict photo ID requirements.
– States like Kansas and Alabama require proof of citizenship beyond the federal legal requirement that citizens swear they are citizens at the time of registering to vote.
– During the 2011 legislative session, five states — Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina — joined Georgia and Indiana by enacting the strictest form of photo ID requirement for voters.
– At least 17 states introduced legislation that would require proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, to register or vote.
According to NCSL.org, 33 voter ID Laws have been implemented and vary in their details, however there are two key distinctions: (1.) whether a law is strict or not (2.) and whether or not the ID must include a photo.
Strict vs. Non-Strict: In the “strict” states, a voter cannot cast a valid ballot without first presenting ID. Voters who are unable to show ID at the polls are given a provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots are kept separate from the regular ballots. If the voter returns to election officials within a short period of time after the election (generally a few days) and presents acceptable ID, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter does not come back to show ID, that provisional ballot is never counted.
Photo vs. Non-Photo: Seventeen states require that the ID presented at the polls must show a photo of the voter. Some of these are “strict” voter ID laws, in that voters who fail to show photo ID are given a provisional ballot and must eventually show photo ID in order to get that provisional ballot counted. Others are “non-strict,” and voters without ID have other options for casting a regular ballot. They may be permitted to sign an affidavit of identity, or poll workers may be able to vouch for them if they know them personally. In these “non-strict” states, voters who fail to bring ID on Election Day aren’t required to return to election officials and show ID in order to have their ballot counted. In the other 16 voter ID states, there is a wide array of IDs that are acceptable for voting purposes, some of which do not include a photo of the voter. Again, some of these states are “strict” in the sense that a voter who fails to bring ID on Election Day will be required to vote a provisional ballot, and that provisional ballot will be counted only if the voter returns to election officials within a few days to show acceptable ID.
States that have or will pass strict Photo ID are: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, *Mississippi , Pennsylvania, **South Carolina, Tennessee, *Wisconsin.
States that have or will pass photo ID requirements: Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
These states require or will require photo ID: Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
Non-Strict Non-Photo ID: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.
When all is said and done, these new voter restrictions seem to serve as another way for conservative lawmakers to directly influence the upcoming election.
SOURCES: NCSL.org | Brennan Center | BillMoyers.com
