Voter ID Facts

Get the Facts on Voter ID:

Get the facts on Voter ID laws to find out if voter ID a form of voter suppression, or if individual in-person voter fraud a problem in the US?

  • About 11% of US citizens (over 21 million Americans) do not have government-issued photo identification.
  • Those most likely to not have proper ID are students, seniors, low-income Americans, and non-white Americans.
  • About 25% of voting age African Americans don’t have a government-issued photo ID. Comparatively only 8% of their white counterparts do.
  • 18% of Americans over 65 don’t have a government-issued photo ID.
  • Voter ID laws say that a voter must possess proof of identity to vote. The more recent voter ID laws passed in 31 states tighten up the forms of ID able to be used. This differs state by state.
  • Voter fraud itself does not refer specifically to voter ID fraud. Voter ID fraud is one of many types electoral fraud.
  • At the turn of the 20th century the south enforced a poll tax to prevent poor people, specifically black people from voter registration and voting.
  • Voter ID laws are seen by some as a modern form of poll tax as many of the countries poorest will not vote due to a lack of proper state issued ID.
  • The new Voter ID laws were enacted by Republicans… Voter ID laws will mainly impact would be voters for the Democratic party.
  • Voter ID laws are mainly passed in swing states where preventing a win by Democrats could mean a Republican victory.
  • Voter ID laws make it harder for poor people, students and the elderly to vote (they are less likely to have a valid form of state issued ID).
  • Some states offer “free” ID cards. In order to get a “free” ID card a voter needs another valid form of ID.
  • 12% of voting-age US citizens don’t have a valid form of state ID. In order to obtain a “free ID” they need a certified copy of a birth certificate which costs from $10 to $45 depending on the state, a passport which costs $85, and certified naturalization papers which cost $19.95.

Learn more voter fraud facts and voter ID facts from the Brennan Center for Justice Report “the Truth About Voter Fraud“.