Here is WI, we have really, really lax voter laws. I am no expert on the actual laws. However, the one thing that has always surprised me is that you don't have to prove who you are. If you are registered already, you can just show up at your voting place, say who are are and vote. No form of ID or anything required. That has always struck me as stupid.
Several state legislators want to fix that. Of course, that draws the ire of certain people. As usual, Eugene Kane's article is a little light on actual substance, so I will boil it down to the one paragraph where he actually said something of substance:
"Many believe switching to a photo-ID voting law will disproportionately affect poor people, immigrants, black people and senior citizens."
Many people may believe this, but let look at the logic here. I could see, for example, where a poor person may not have a drivers license and may have better use for their money than getting a photo ID. However, there are ways around that (free photo I.D.'s, for example).
Immigrants? Well, the ones who should actually be allowed to vote (that is, immigrants who have become citizens) should have absolutely no trouble getting an I.D. No problems here.
Old people? Most already have an I.D., and for those that don't, getting one should again not be an issue. If they can't afford it, like I said, there are ways around that.
Black people? Now this one I really don't understand. Why would it be any harder for a black person to obtain and show an I.D. than anyone else?
This argument just really does not hold water. When it comes down to it, being required to obtain and show an I.D. to vote really only negatively effects those who want to attempt to commit voter fraud, or those who should not be voting in the first place.
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