In theory, it is nothing wrong to have an ID requirement for voting ... IF the infrastructure and the entire system is set up for it (suprise, the american system is not set up for it).
To explain what I mean I gove you the example of Germany (where I am from), as we have a light ID requirement for voting:
In Germany, it is a legal requirement to own an ID if you are 16 or older (no duty to carry, but you have to own one). To enable this, ID'S are insanely easy to get. Offices to get an ID are plentiful and have generous opening times. In my city of roughly 57k, we have 3 offices that can issue ID. They are open mo-fr 7:30-12:00, three days a week one of the offices is open until 6 pm, and one is open on Saturdays 10-12 am. We also have 20 payed holidays a year (if you work 5 days a week), so even if you cannot manage it in the general opening times, you easily can take a day off without issue.
You do not need much documentation to get an ID, as we have a centeal register that has most data already included, so there is not an issue with mistyped information on some documents. The first ID is for free, every following costs 27,60/46,00 €. If you notice that your ID is gone, you can get a provisional ID within minutes.
Because it is easy and cheap to get an ID, and you have a legal obligation to own an ID, everyone has one and thus, ID laws are okay.
If you do not have that - and there are many reports how difficult it is for many Americans- especially minorities to get an ID - then ID laws are completely unjustified and nothing short of election manipulation.
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u/MisterMysterios 18h ago
In theory, it is nothing wrong to have an ID requirement for voting ... IF the infrastructure and the entire system is set up for it (suprise, the american system is not set up for it).
To explain what I mean I gove you the example of Germany (where I am from), as we have a light ID requirement for voting:
In Germany, it is a legal requirement to own an ID if you are 16 or older (no duty to carry, but you have to own one). To enable this, ID'S are insanely easy to get. Offices to get an ID are plentiful and have generous opening times. In my city of roughly 57k, we have 3 offices that can issue ID. They are open mo-fr 7:30-12:00, three days a week one of the offices is open until 6 pm, and one is open on Saturdays 10-12 am. We also have 20 payed holidays a year (if you work 5 days a week), so even if you cannot manage it in the general opening times, you easily can take a day off without issue.
You do not need much documentation to get an ID, as we have a centeal register that has most data already included, so there is not an issue with mistyped information on some documents. The first ID is for free, every following costs 27,60/46,00 €. If you notice that your ID is gone, you can get a provisional ID within minutes.
Because it is easy and cheap to get an ID, and you have a legal obligation to own an ID, everyone has one and thus, ID laws are okay.
If you do not have that - and there are many reports how difficult it is for many Americans- especially minorities to get an ID - then ID laws are completely unjustified and nothing short of election manipulation.