June 15, 2011

Voting and Photo IDs

Several states, including Wisconsin and Texas, recently passed laws requiring voters to present state-issued photo IDs to protect against voter fraud. Critics argue that these laws disproportionately affect certain populations, such as minorities, students, and the elderly which have lower rates of having these IDs. For example, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights notes that 78% of young African-American males in Wisconsin do not have a driver’s license.

Georgia law allows an individual to provisionally vote and provide proof of a photo-ID after the election. The law was amended in 2006 to allow provisional voting after it was struck down in 2005 as unconstitutional by a U.S. District court ruling. Click here for more information.