Arguments for and against voter identification laws

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Voter identification laws require voters to present some form of identification in order to vote at the polls.

Whether states should require voters to show identification before voting is a subject of debate.

Supporters of requiring voter identification laws argue that it is needed to prevent voter fraud, it does not decrease voter turnout, and it is popular with voters.

Opponents of requiring voter identification laws argue that they are burdensome for many voters and target minorities. Opponents of requiring voter identification also argue that in-person voter fraud is rare.

Thirty-five states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 23 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 15 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

On this page, you will find:

• Arguments at a glance: A brief summary of support and opposition arguments.
• Support arguments in detail: Detailed support arguments from a variety of sources.
• Opposition arguments in detail: Detailed opposition arguments from a variety of sources.
• Laws by state: An overview of voter ID laws by state
• Further reading: Links to resources with more information on voter identification laws.

Arguments at a glance

This section includes quotes briefly summarizing some of the most prevalent arguments for and against voter identification laws.

Arguments for and against voter identification laws

Support

Opposition

"Voter ID laws can stop multiple types of fraud, such as impersonating another registered voter, preventing noncitizens from voting, and stopping out-of-state residents or someone registered in multiple jurisdictions. ... That’s one reason why voters across all demographics support voter ID laws in virtually every poll by almost 80%. This typically includes more than 60% of Democrats ... according to a poll conducted by the Honest Elections Project." - Fred Lucas, The Heritage Foundation (2023)

"Overly burdensome photo ID laws deprive many voters of their right to vote, reduce participation, and stand in direct opposition to our country’s trend of including more Americans in the democratic process. Many Americans do not have one of the forms ofgovernment-issued photo identification that state laws list as acceptable for voting. These voters are disproportionately low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Such voters more frequently cannot afford or cannot obtain the underlying documents that are a prerequisite to obtaining government-issued photo ID card." - ACLU (2021)

Support arguments in detail

Three arguments in favor of requiring voter identification are that it is needed to prevent voter fraud, it does not decrease voter turnout, and it is popular with voters. This section includes quotations detailing those arguments from a variety of sources.

Claim: Voter identification is needed to prevent voter fraud

The Repair the Vote PAC filed a measure with the Nevada Secretary of State on December 7, 2023, requesting to add the Nevada Voter Identification Amendment to the ballot in 2024. The measure would amend the state's constitution to require photo identification in order to vote.

According to its website, the Repair the Vote PAC says it is a group of Nevada citizens whose "mission is to repair the voting process in Nevada."

“	Every citizen needs faith that the election process is fair and accurate. A big part of that is to verify the identity of every voter, just as companies verify the identity of the person getting on an aircraft, checking in at a hotel, or cashing a check at a bank. When voters lose faith in the process that drives elections, they also lose faith in the outcome and in the legitimacy of those declared the winners.	”
—Repair the Vote (2023)

Claim: Requiring voter identification does not decrease minority voter turnout

In a 2019 article for The Heritage Foundation called "New Study Confirms Voter ID Laws Don’t Hurt Election Turnout," Hans Von Spakovsky and Caleb Morrison disputed the idea that voter identification laws reduce turnout among minority voters, citing the results of a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research as evidence.

“	Less than one week after Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams made inflammatory claims in her State of the Union response about an epidemic of “voter suppression” jeopardizing the character of our nation, the National Bureau of Economic Research released a study that demonstrates once again that voter ID laws have no measurable impact on voting behavior. In other words, voter ID laws don’t “suppress” anyone’s vote. This latest study echoes the conclusion of others, including a landmark report by The Heritage Foundation in 2007 finding that voter ID laws don’t reduce voter turnout, including among African-Americans and Hispanics. These voters were just as likely to vote in states requiring photo identification as in those that don’t. Researchers for the National Bureau of Economic Research found that between 2008 and 2016, voter ID laws had “no negative effect on registration or turnout, overall or for any specific group defined by race, gender, age or party affiliation.”	”
—Hans von Spakovsky and Caleb Morrison, The Heritage Foundation (2019)

Claim: Requiring voter identification is popular with voters

In 2021, Spectrum News digital media producer Ryan Chatelain wrote an article analyzing the debate over voter identification laws and discussed public opinion on the topic.

“	While photo voter ID laws might seem like a partisan issue, polls have found otherwise. In one of the latest surveys on the topic, Monmouth University found that 80% of Americans support requiring voters to show photo identification at polling sites, while just 18% oppose it. While support for such requirements was higher among Republicans — 91% — 62% of Democrats and 87% of independents also were in favor of them. Eighty-four percent of minorities also support photo ID laws, according to the poll.	”
—Ryan Chatelain, digital media producer, Spectrum News (2021)

Opposition arguments in detail

Three arguments against requiring voter identification are that they are burdensome for many voters and target minorities. Opponents of requiring voter identification also argue that in-person voter fraud is rare. This section includes quotations detailing those arguments from a variety of sources.

Claim: Voter identification laws are a burden for many voters

In a 2017 "Fact sheet on voter ID laws," the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) outlined the following claims:

“	Millions of Americans Lack ID. 11% of U.S. citizens – or more than 21 million Americans – do not have government-issued photo identification. Obtaining ID Costs Money. Even if ID is offered for free, voters must incur numerous costs (such as paying for birth certificates) to apply for a government-issued ID. Underlying documents required to obtain ID cost money, a significant expense for lower-income Americans. The combined cost of document fees, travel expenses and waiting time are estimated to range from $75 to $175. The travel required is often a major burden on people with disabilities, the elderly, or those in rural areas without access to a car or public transportation. In Texas, some people in rural areas must travel approximately 170 miles to reach the nearest ID office.	”
—ACLU (2017)

Claim: Voter identification laws target minorities

On its website, the group Indivisible called "Voter ID 101: The Right to Vote Shouldn't Come With Barriers" argued that voter ID laws are deliberately crafted to target minority voters. Indivisible's website says it is a progressive organization dedicated to resisting the Trump agenda.

“	In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a major provision of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder that required states and local governments to get federal approval before changing voting laws. These provisions were in place to stop racially discriminatory laws from being passed at the state level to curtail voting rights. Just two hours after the Supreme Court decision, the state of Texas passed the first version of a new voter ID law, which allowed citizens to vote with a concealed-carry gun permit, but not with a student ID card. As of this writing, 34 states have voter ID laws on the books, and 20 of those states require government-issued photo ID with limited or no alternatives... [V]oter ID laws are a powerful form of voter suppression. Millions of voters are prevented from using their voice at the polls because of voter ID laws—and voter suppression doesn’t hit the whole country equally. Much like poll taxes and literacy tests of the Jim Crow days, these laws are created to prevent specifically targeted populations from voting. Voter ID laws target eligible voters who are less likely to have IDs. In reality, this means these laws suppress the vote from elderly, low-income and voters of color.	”
—Indivisible (2023)

Claim: In-person voter fraud is rare

In a blog post for the League of Women Voters, Brady Horine, the organization's legislative and policy coordinator, argued that in-person voter fraud is rare in the United States. According to its website, the League of Women Voters says it is a "political grassroots network and membership organization working to empower voters and defend democracy."

“	...time and time again, voter photo ID laws are proven to be ineffective tools to fight voter fraud — in the rare instances it does take place. While voter photo ID laws aim to prevent in-person voter impersonation, an almost non-existent form of voter fraud, other types of voter impersonation are similarly rare and not cause for significant concern. According to the Brennan Center, the rate of in-person voter impersonation is extremely low: only 0.00004% of all ballots cast. It’s worth noting that this rate is even significantly lower than other rare forms of voter fraud, such as absentee ballot fraud, which voter photo ID laws do not address. Voter fraud is so extremely rare. Out of 250,000,000 votes cast by mail in 2020, there were 193 criminal convictions. By those numbers, a person is more likely to be struck by lightning than they are to commit voter fraud. Further, there are already measures in place to detect irregularities and investigate potential cases of voter fraud, making the need for further legislation even smaller.	”
—Brady Horine, legislative and policy coordinator, League of Women Voters (2023)

External links

• Voter Identification Requirements | Voter ID Laws—National Conference of State Legislatures' compilation of state laws related to voter identification.

• Issues Related to State Voter Identification Laws—Government Accountability Office report from 2014 on issues related to voter identification laws.

See also

• Voter identification laws by state

Footnotes

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