Tim Mannello

Williamsport

Republican lawmakers say voters should show photo ID because, they claim, voter impersonation is rampant. But every credible study–including those commissioned by Republicans themselves–shows the opposite: voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent. When confronted with the evidence, they simply repeat the claim anyway. The only thing that’s widespread is the myth. kept alive not by facts, but by constant repetition. That misconception didn’t appear out of nowhere. It persists largely because Republican leaders keep repeating the claim until, to many, it feels true.

Supporters of strict photo ID laws love to argue that “you need an ID to fly, get married, open a bank account, get a library card, apply for benefits, buy a phone, and so on.” So of course, they say, you should need one to vote. But here’s the truth: photo IDs are not universally required for any of those activities. In most cases, alternatives are accepted. Even the TSA allows multiple forms of identification beyond a photo ID.

And let’s not forget: you don’t need a photo ID to get a state issued photo ID. That means the reliability of a driver’s license is only as strong as the non photo documents used to obtain it–the very same documents that are already acceptable for voting.

For perspective: the nineteen 9/11 hijackers possessed 30 state issued IDs. Fake and forged driver’s licenses are everywhere, including ones manufactured overseas. Yet we’re told these IDs are the “gold standard” for determining who gets to vote–while the underlying documents used to obtain them are somehow too insecure to be used at the polls. It’s an absurd contradiction.

So, what’s really going on? Is this truly about protecting elections from a type of fraud that a five year Bush era investigation found to be virtually nonexistent? Or is something else at play?

Individual voter impersonation is a distraction. No rational person risks five years in prison and $15,000 in fines just to cast one extra vote. Statistically, impersonation fraud rounds to zero. Voter suppression, on the other hand–that’s real, measurable, and absolutely worth scrutinizing.

Should voters show ID? Yes. Should a driver’s license count? Of course. But should non drivers be allowed to use the same documents drivers use to obtain a state issued ID? Absolutely. That’s fair, consistent, and logical.

The problem isn’t identification. The problem is using ID laws as a barrier rather than a safeguard.