VoteRiders

We don’t oppose voter ID laws. We don’t support them either. We focus on helping citizens to get the ID they need and to educate voters about these laws so they can follow them. Our mission is to ensure that every eligible voter has some form of ID that is acceptable for voting – and getting one may be difficult or create a financial hardship. That is where our ID assistance program comes in.

If you’ve never tried to get an ID starting from zero (meaning you don’t have an ID, birth certificate or ss card), it’s not easy. You have to know how to get the ID/document, which means good access to and understanding of technology, and the costs can be high! Plus there’s what I call the “circle of doom” - that is, you need an ID to get a birth certificate or SS card, but you need your birth certificate and SS card to get an ID. Pmp

Here are some reasons why citizens who may have had an ID don’t have one that is acceptable ID for voting:
It was lost or stolen.
It has expired.
It is from another state.
It doesn’t match the name on the poll list (women who marry).

You might want to check the Voter Stories (https://www.voteriders.org/stories/) at VoteRiders.org. KU

Voter ID laws prevent one very specific kind of voter fraud – voter impersonation, meaning someone showing up to vote under someone else’s name. Studies have shown that voter impersonation is extremely rare. Voter ID laws and confusion over these laws can prevent many people who are eligible to vote from casting a ballot. Our organization wants to make sure that voters understand voter ID laws so they can comply with them, and to assist those who need help getting an ID to vote.

Here are reasons why some citizens cannot get an ID:
- They don’t have the underlying documents like a birth certificate, social security card or proof of residence needed to get a replacement ID – including having all those documents in exactly the same name and as originals (most times copies are not accepted).
- They don’t have the financial resources to acquire a certified copy of their birth certificate and any name-change legal documents or to pay for an ID or replacement ID.
- There are errors on their birth certificate or other identifying documents that prevent a state from issuing an ID.
- The DMV or other government office that issues IDs in their state may be far away and have limited opening hours, and public transportation might not be available. Not every voter can afford to take the time off from work to wait in line at the DMV, especially if they end up having to make multiple trips because of document issues.

Some citizens may never have needed the limited types of IDs that are now acceptable to vote under their state’s new voter ID law. They may have disabilities that prevent them from working, so they live with their families. Even if they have a birth certificate, they may not have proof of residence documents needed to obtain an acceptable ID because they don’t have bank accounts or utilities in their names. KU