More people will be hit by lighting than will someone attempt to vote illegally. There is election fraud, but it not perpetrated through voter fraud. Rather, it may be election box stuffing or some other more mass vote stealing mechanism.


So why all the focus particularly by the Republican Party, (and it is the GOP that is exclusively driving for more stringent Identification requirements) to require picture IDs and/or other more demanding proof of identity when a willing potential voter shows up at the election poll?  Answer has been obvious - to limit the number of voters that the Republicans perceive as unfavorably inclined for their candidates/issues regardless of whether such voters are eligible/legal. Thus, that means that we can totally ignore the rationale or pretext for more stringent voter ID requirements? People do after all get hit by lighting every once in a while.

 

Constitutional Test:

There is a Constitutional test that can be applied to determine whether such voter ID laws are justified, and such criteria are already being applied by the US Courts:

--- Is there a real need for the new Law/Regulation? - The rationale would appear to be at best remote from perspective of statistics and/or logic. US citizens have to be generally encouraged/coerced to get out and vote rather than driving away ineligible voters. US has one of the lower eligible voter participation rates among democracies.


--- Does the benefit of new Law/Regulation outweigh cost? - In this instance it is ironic that Republicans should be on the side of greater government and especially one that may require you to buy a government ID. Many people may not need/opt for a drivers license, the fee/inconvenience and potential intrusion. The latter may be enough to evidence higher costs than benefit, but include the real possibility that such more stringent Voter ID laws may effectively discriminate against certain groups??


--- US States particularly with a history of promoted discrimination (Jim Crow & other voter limiting requirements as former Confederacy), will have to not only answer the questions are the new Voter laws/requirements intended to unfairly impact but is the practical effect such regardless. Statistics indicate that Latinos, African-Americans, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and first time voters are all more adversely impacted.

 

Denying Votes/Voters is Election Fraud:

In the end, the effort toward more stringent Voter ID laws/regulations seems to be addressing a mirage need but with the effect of both discouraging and making participation in democracy more difficult. The essence of democratic and open societies is that even when your candidate loses, as a voter you believe you have been vested and empowered by your vote. Thus, such more stringent Voter ID laws are not only a false debate but in fact do more harm to the foundation and fiber of America's democracy. The question we should be moving on to ask is about the fraud being perpetrated upon America's democracy concealed behind Voter Fraud initiatives.

 

There is election fraud, but it is most likely to be effective in reach its objective not through ineligible individuals posing as eligible voters one by one, but rather in mass theft or even more likely denial of votes. Disqualification of eligible cast votes and now increasingly turning away/discouraging eligible voters is the grandest form of election fraud.


By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey – Follow @MuhamedSacirbey

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