Voter ID Causes No Undue Burden on Texas Voters

Try as I might, I simply cannot understand the validity of any argument against legislation which would require voters to show identification before casting their ballots, because they all have to stop short of saying "they're trying to make it harder for us to cheat."

This issue has been big news across the state recently, as the Texas House of Representatives gave final approval to legislation (101 to 48) to send the bill back to the Senate for final compromise between the House and Senate versions, then it’s on to Governor Rick Perry, who designated Voter I.D. as an emergency item for the legislature to consider.

Under this legislation in its current form, voters must present valid state or federal photo identification, which includes a driver’s license, personal I.D. card, military I.D., passport, or concealed handgun permit.

Photo identification is available for free from the Department of Public Safety. Those without I.D. at the time are able to cast a provisional ballot, and have up to six days to present I.D. to get their votes counted, and those who can prove they are victims of identity fraud would be exempt from these particular regulations.

Some say that showing identification at the polls is an undue burden on the voter, but the Supreme Court of the United States disagrees with that argument in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (2008), where the Court said 6 to 3 that photo I.D. requirements as related to voting is related to Indiana’s legitimate state interests in preventing voter fraud.

The court also said that the slight burden imposed on voters’ rights did not outweigh the state interests, and were “neutral and nondiscriminatory”, despite much protesting from leftist groups who said that legislation of this type presented an undue burden on poor and minority voters. Much to my enjoyment, the plaintiffs in the Crawford case were not able to present any witnesses who were able to claim that they were not able to meet the law’s requirements.

As I see it, there is very little burden whatsoever in obtaining a photo ID, especially in that they are available at no cost. I’m surprised that the Democrats haven’t made the claim during the Texas Voter I.D. debate that voter registration, or the stressful journey to a polling place is an undue burden on the poor and minority voters.

Of course, this type of feckless rhetoric should be expected from a party backed by groups like Acorn, who has become famous for their extensive acts of voter fraud across the nation.

The state has a legitimate interest in protecting our electoral systems against fraud, and Voter I.D. measures place very little burden upon anyone except those trying to lead ballot scams, which could cut into the left’s vote totals.