Voters wait in line as they are reminded to present their photo ID at the polls (Getty Images)
While it might seem cliched at this point to highlight that we live in divided times, that rings true even more so when it comes to the issue of election operations and, more specifically, voter integrity. According to a Gallup poll conducted just prior to Election Day for the 2022 Midterms, just six in ten Americans have confidence in the accuracy of elections nationwide, with only one in three Americans stating they are “very confident”. The partisan breakdown of this poll further highlights this division, with 85% of Democrats, 67% of Independents, and 40% of Republicans stating their confidence. Add the hyper-passionate support or disdain by either viewpoint and it’s no wonder why many steer clear of this issue altogether.
This doesn’t change the importance of ensuring the integrity of our elections.
Without sound, secure, and fair elections that reflect the will of voters without question or controversy, none of the other issues that we care about stand a chance. That’s why Take Back Our Republic Action has continued to make reforming the rules that govern our elections our top priority, traveling from Indiana, to Virginia, to Wisconsin, and everywhere in between, where we’ve seen the division and partisan rancor this issue often creates firsthand. However, despite this common occurrence, there is a commonly-known exception to the rule.
One measure we’ve seen unite both sides is enacting voter ID laws.
Enacting these laws, specifically requiring photo IDs to vote, is not only an extremely practical, proven, and common-sense method of ensuring election integrity - after all, millions of Americans present their ID as required at an airport through the TSA’s thorough system - but it’s also a method that has widespread bi-partisan support from voters across our Republic. According to a Monmouth University poll, 80% of those surveyed nationwide support basic photo ID laws, with 62% of Democrats, 87% of independents, and 91% of Republicans supporting. Additionally, according to a Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty poll, in what many consider to be the most electorally purple state in the country, 69% of voters support requiring photo ID verification for absentee ballots. On top of 10 states currently having laws on the books requiring photo ID to vote, these systems have not only been proven to work, but have been given the time necessary to be improved upon and ready for widespread adoption.
State Sen. Julie Slama and backers of their voter ID initiative submit signatures in July 2022 (Nebraska Examiner).
In accordance with this, several states across our Republic are currently in the process of enacting mandatory photo ID laws. Nebraska, a state where, last November, 65% of voters approved enacting photo ID for voting, just became the eleventh state in the union to enact mandatory photo ID after the state legislature passed, and the Governor signaled he will sign, a refined version of the aforementioned ballot referendum. Ohio recently adopted similar measures, and after several years of fighting red tape, court battles, and obstruction from activist judges, North Carolina enacted these measures as well. Both states’ laws went into effect earlier this spring. Additionally, Indiana just passed a law further extending this requirement for mail-in voting.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t out-of-state interests attempting to block voter ID laws.
President John Pudner penned a Newsmax op-ed on one such case in Michigan, where outside interests spent $23 million to convince voters to approve a ballot measure that they sold as enacting mandatory photo ID, when in reality, it allows for a simple affidavit to count as proof, enshrining this backhanded rule into the state constitution, and thus, rigging the game by deeming any law the legislature could pass to enact mandatory photo ID unconstitutional. While this measure didn’t go without notice, as a petition to add photo ID requirements gained over 500,000 signatures across Michigan, it did ultimately pass.
This makes it all the more important to remain vigilant and actively work towards passing sound, and more importantly, truthful mandatory photo ID laws across our Republic, whether by the state legislature or statewide referendum. As election operations continue to rapidly evolve, the need to enact mandatory voter ID - a sound, measured solution that universally applies, assists election operations, and helps ensure election integrity - grows with every election cycle. TBOR Action continues to be a strong advocate for its adoption across our Republic and will continue to highlight its importance as we inch closer to the all-important 2024 election cycle.
For more on TBOR Action's efforts on election integrity, please click here.
Comments