Kerby Anderson

The perennial debate about voter ID illustrates the difference between how ordinary Americans view the issue and how political elites view the issue. Brian Lonergan writes about this because of the opposition to the SAVE Act.

He reminds us, “Elections are the cornerstone of self-governance, and without verifiable safeguards, that foundation crumbles. Requiring a photo ID or proof of citizenship to vote is no more burdensome than showing ID to board a plane, buy alcohol, or open a bank account.”

Most Americans accept the idea that you need an ID to function in the modern world. That is why the latest CNN poll revealed that 85 percent of white Americans, 82 percent of Latinos, and 76 percent of black Americans favor requiring photo ID to vote.

This shouldn’t be controversial, but it is to a small percentage of vocal critics. They argue that voter ID disenfranchises minorities disproportionately. These elite voices believe that minorities lack access to identification and seem to be implying that they are less capable of obtaining basic documents. Isn’t this an example of what President Bush used to refer to as “the soft bigotry of low expectations?”

The other argument has been that requiring voter ID will suppress turnout. But if we look at states like Georgia that did implement ID requirements, the state experienced record turnout in the next election. That seems to dismiss the suppression myth.

The next time you hear someone talk about “voter suppression,” you need to ask them what they mean. If they are talking about voter ID, the evidence is clear that it is NOT suppressing the vote. Instead, it is providing voter integrity.