Personally I believe it is a "no-brainer" that all citizens must prove their citizenship by supplying a national or state issued ID before they vote. Otherwise non-citizens can vote. The same logic could be used to say that drivers don't need driver licenses to drive, or non-citizens don't need passports to entry your country. Yet - some people actually believe that requiring ID to vote, or to enter a country, or to drive is "discriminatory."

Why?

Of course. But for some delusional reason the left in the US thinks any yahoo foreign or domestic have the right to vote, and they use silly excuses like racism and believe minorities are too stupid to get identifications in an insulting manner.

4 minutes ago, novacova said:

foreign or domestic have the right to vote, and they use silly excuses like racism and believe minorities are too

gives them an edge. maybe their only chance to win.

I voted yes of course ... BUT ... the USA does not have a national ID.

There is no requirement for any US citizen to apply for or carry any ID.

Voter ID isn’t automatically discriminatory. Context matters.

In Thailand, every citizen has a mandatory national ID. It’s cheap, universal, and used in everyday life. Requiring ID to vote there excludes no one, because access already exists.

In the United Kingdom, there is no universal national ID and for decades voting required no documents.

When voter ID was introduced, some citizens suddenly needed passports or driving licences they didn’t have, or had to apply for new paperwork. That’s why critics say it creates barriers, even without bad intent.

This is where “discrimination” gets misunderstood. It doesn’t mean malice - it means disparate impact.

A rule can apply to everyone yet still burden some people more than others when ID costs money, takes time, or is hard to obtain.

Voting is treated differently from driving or travel because it’s a fundamental right, not an optional privilege, so even small barriers face strict scrutiny and the burden sits with the state.

Personally, I think everyone should have a national ID card - but they don’t. Until access is universal, the real question is simple: if you’ve never driven, never travelled abroad, and never needed formal ID, should you lose your vote because the system can’t prove who you are? That’s not really about voter ID.

I think the bigger question is whether nation (i.e. the UK) wants a national ID system at all - I believe there is no strong reason not to in this modern age - it can be used as a 'digital passport' and carry biometrics and medical emergency information.

All citizens should be provided a free ID that does not require multiple hour waiting in a line that is only available during working hours first.

Rephrase it to say that all citizens require a national ID and see how well that goes over. There is a large portion of the population in western countries who are opposed to such a requirement. Yet many of those same people support voters being required to show id to vote. 😁

You cant buy booze, board an airplane, or in many places buy cold medicine without an ID. You cant buy a gun without ID that has an actual physical address, arrange for cable TV/internet without an ID, or drive without an ID. You cant get government benefits without an ID.

Enough said. Folks that want voting without ID want to cheat.

Why would anyone endorse Jim Crow 2.0? Mandating ID to vote effectively disenfranchises minority communities and reinforces systemic inequities. This practice is not just a logistical measure; it is a modern manifestation of white supremacy that undermines our democracy and the fundamental right to vote.

28 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I voted yes of course ... BUT ... the USA does not have a national ID.

There is no requirement for any US citizen to apply for or carry any ID.

They almost do, with Real ID. And they're headed further that way with new TSA requirements.

Even Harry Enten at CNN is calling this issue out:

“What’s the racial breakdown on this? Because I think a lot of people make the argument that people of color, non-white Americans have a harder time procuring a photo ID to vote,” Enten said. “But even here, take a look here, favor photo ID to vote: 85 percent of white people favor it, 82 percent of Latino, 76 percent of black Americans favor it.”

85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, 76% of blacks (and just a few Dems) favor it... Gotta wonder why.

1 minute ago, nick supreme said:

Why would anyone endorse Jim Crow 2.0? Mandating ID to vote effectively disenfranchises minority communities and reinforces systemic inequities.

It sounds like you're claiming minorities are too dumb to get ID?

1 minute ago, impulse said:

They almost do, with Real ID. And they're headed further that way with new TSA requirements.

Even Harry Enten at CNN is calling this issue out:

“What’s the racial breakdown on this? Because I think a lot of people make the argument that people of color, non-white Americans have a harder time procuring a photo ID to vote,” Enten said. “But even here, take a look here, favor photo ID to vote: 85 percent of white people favor it, 82 percent of Latino, 76 percent of black Americans favor it.”

85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, 76% of blacks (and just a few Dems) favor it... Gotta wonder why.

Getting a state ID is way too easy for any US citizen, as everyone gets a birth certificate, all have soc sec #s & a residence. Almost impossible to function in th USA without some sort of ID. All legal folks have one.

Only if you prefer to be homeless, you may not have or be bothered to get one.

Why the illegals go to sanctuary cities & states, as they issue an acceptable ID in that state, which in some cases, very sadly, allows them access to a driver's license, or even a CDL, which made the news recently (Aug 2025) when and illegal alien with a CDL killed a few people, by making an illegal traffic maneuver.

Thank you gov brown & newsom

48 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I voted yes of course ... BUT ... the USA does not have a national ID.

There is no requirement for any US citizen to apply for or carry any ID.

Ever try to board a commercial airplane in the United States without an ID?

Granted, it is contextual: Drive? You need a valid license which is a form of ID. Enter the country legally and you need a passport. Buy a bottle of booze - hell, I've been "carded" for ID in the US when I was 57 years old.

If you vote in elections, imho, you should be required to have a valid state issued picture or bio-metric ID or a passport.

5 minutes ago, connda said:

Ever try to board a commercial airplane in the United States without an ID?

Granted, it is contextual: Drive? You need a valid license which is a form of ID. Enter the country legally and you need a passport. Buy a bottle of booze - hell, I've been "carded" for ID in the US when I was 57 years old.

If you vote in elections, imho, you should be required to have a valid state issued picture or bio-metric ID or a passport.

yes, I pointed that out in another thread, when replying, peek at this if you want a chuckle .... https://aseannow.com/topic/1386841-americas-shameful-immigrant-detention/#findComment-20367986

31 minutes ago, nick supreme said:

Mandating ID to vote effectively disenfranchises minority communities and reinforces systemic inequities.

How. Tell us how LOL. This should be great

50 minutes ago, impulse said:

They almost do, with Real ID. And they're headed further that way with new TSA requirements.

Even Harry Enten at CNN is calling this issue out:

“What’s the racial breakdown on this? Because I think a lot of people make the argument that people of color, non-white Americans have a harder time procuring a photo ID to vote,” Enten said. “But even here, take a look here, favor photo ID to vote: 85 percent of white people favor it, 82 percent of Latino, 76 percent of black Americans favor it.”

85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, 76% of blacks (and just a few Dems) favor it... Gotta wonder why.

Real ID does not address the issue. It does not prove citizenship only legal status in the US. Most green card holders have a Real ID.

If people are really voting without citizenship creating a free citizenship card and that would solve the problem.

Sorry I voted wrong, my mistake, in case any sane forumers are wondering who could be so dumb as to want voting without id🤣

2 minutes ago, biervoormij said:

Real ID does not address the issue. It does not prove citizenship only legal status in the US. Most green card holders have a Real ID.

If people are really voting without citizenship creating a free citizenship card and that would solve the problem.

Good catch. I was actually responding to 2 different (but related topics). I should have provided a better segue.

On one hand, I lament that we keep losing more privacy rights as the government increases the ID requirements just to live life.

It took me a couple of months to get "legal" after an extended absence from the USA. I needed ID to request a birth certificate, and I needed a birth certificate to get the required ID. Quite the Catch 22. My Texas DL had long expired (I had a Thai DL) and my passport was a few weeks expired since I had other priorities before I got around to that task. Admittedly, my bad. I ended up getting an existing copy of my birth certificate Fed-Exed from my former Thai employer. Otherwise, I was SOL.

I was gobsmacked that they accepted a 60 year old birth certificate with no photo, but wouldn't accept a 2 week expired passport with a photo. But that's a different topic for a different thread, and has been going on since 9/11.

33 minutes ago, impulse said:

On one hand, I lament that we keep losing more privacy rights as the government increases the ID requirements just to live life.

This is part of the wider problem with ID cards. A section of society genuinely believes that being required to have - or carry - a government-issued photo ID is an infringement of civil liberties and personal privacy.

For most of us, that argument feels increasingly theoretical. We already carry driving licences, passports, bank cards, smartphones - all of which identify us far more comprehensively than a simple ID card ever could. That ship has largely sailed. If someone wants to live completely off-grid, without any of that, it’s fair to ask what they’re actually worried about - and whether that concern outweighs the broader interests of society - IF they want to vote - they still need to prove who they are somehow.

Personally, I feel safer knowing the police have the authority to stop and search anyone for weapons and to ask them to identify themselves. I understand the sensitivities, especially with immigration enforcement being such a heated topic, but if an officer stops me and asks my name, I comply without issue. A core part of their job is protecting me and my family from people who may pose a real risk. That isn’t a “nanny state” - it’s enabling law enforcement to do their job properly, and doing it properly means reducing crime.

People often warn about an Orwellian police state - right up until their partner is mugged in London, their watch is ripped off at knife-point, or they’re caught near a violent incident in a city centre.

Will ID cards prevent all crime? Of course not. But they can interrupt a lot of it earlier, making serious and organised crime harder to develop in the first place. And that trade-off, feels both reasonable and necessary.

It solves the voting ID problem to.... I don't see a strong logical argument why we can't ALL have ID cards.

I even argue that for 'long termers' in Thailand it a solid solution is to be issued ID cards - (biometric - which we can use in Banks / join the national insurance schemes etc) - I'm not expecting the rights to vote on that, we are 'not' citizens. However, carrying ID in todays modern world is IMO - a valid requirement - for anyone in any nation and that would remove the debate regarding 'having ID' for voting.

35 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

For most of us, that argument feels increasingly theoretical. We already carry driving licences, passports, bank cards, smartphones - all of which identify us far more comprehensively than a simple ID card ever could. That ship has largely sailed. If someone wants to live completely off-grid, without any of that, it’s fair to ask what they’re actually worried about

My concern would be more along the lines of the thought police arresting me for offending someone. How many Brits have been arrested this past year for mean tweets or saying something that someone took offense to? Or (God forbid) misgendering a lady with a beard... Who'd have foreseen that 20 years ago? (Other than Orwell...) And what do the next 20 years hold for us with AI and facial recognition on every signpost? Not to mention cars that track our every movement, and sell that data to nefarious actors.

Then we get to a virtual Minority Report where you could be arrested just for intent that (for example) goes no further than searching for poisons or explosives on the interwebs.

If someone wants to live completely off grid with no ID, I'm fine with that as long as they understand that means they won't be flying or voting, and that driving will be problematic.

3 hours ago, impulse said:

They almost do, with Real ID. And they're headed further that way with new TSA requirements.

Even Harry Enten at CNN is calling this issue out:

“What’s the racial breakdown on this? Because I think a lot of people make the argument that people of color, non-white Americans have a harder time procuring a photo ID to vote,” Enten said. “But even here, take a look here, favor photo ID to vote: 85 percent of white people favor it, 82 percent of Latino, 76 percent of black Americans favor it.”

85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, 76% of blacks (and just a few Dems) favor it... Gotta wonder why.

But what percentage of Mexicans favour it?

1 hour ago, biervoormij said:

Real ID does not address the issue. It does not prove citizenship only legal status in the US. Most green card holders have a Real ID.

If people are really voting without citizenship creating a free citizenship card and that would solve the problem.

I have no problem with ALL people in USA legally, especially if having green card, and or working. Being productive, paying taxes, and they probably should have a say in politics.

So, I can just walk into a polling station and vote, even as a tourist? I may just try that in 3 years when the next POTUS will be elected. Voting for the Dem Candidate. Making a video of it and put it on every possible social media channel. Will be fun. May even make me rich.

4 hours ago, connda said:

Personally I believe it is a "no-brainer" that all citizens must prove their citizenship by supplying a national or state issued ID before they vote. Otherwise non-citizens can vote. The same logic could be used to say that drivers don't need driver licenses to drive, or non-citizens don't need passports to entry your country. Yet - some people actually believe that requiring ID to vote, or to enter a country, or to drive is "discriminatory."

Why?

Far left Social Justice activist are cornered !

The nexus of the argument is documentation. Requiring clear proof of citizenship,like a passport, birth certificate, or equivalent,it would destroy the undocumented immigration crisis fueled by systemic progressivism policies, advocacy, and enforcement priorities.

Dem house leader H. Jeffries has opposed Gop led efforts such as the SAVE Act (and its recent updates like the SAVE America Act/H.R. 7296 and related bills), which mandate specific documents to prove citizenship for federal voter registration.

Jeffries calls these voter suppression bills and dead on arrival in the Senate, framing them as attempts to undermine free and fair elections or even steal the 2026 midterms through nationalization or barriers. He ties opposition to broader fights, like demanding changes to DHS/ICE practices before funding bills move forward.

Google ai overview:

"Based on recent political debates, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has opposed Republican-led efforts, such as the SAVE Act, that would mandate the use of specific documents like passports or birth certificates to prove citizenship for voter registration".

19 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I have no problem with ALL people in USA legally, especially if having green card, and or working. Being productive, paying taxes, and they probably should have a say in politics.

Green card was an example but this would also include anyone that has legal status in the US. People under refugee status are legal and can get a Real ID. People under student visas can get real IDs. People under temporary protected status (TPS) like all the Haitian in the US can get Real IDs.

I think all US citizens should be allowed to vote but if there is an issue with non-citizens voting Real ID does not resolve the problem.

If you want to stop non-productive people from voting that is another issue. I would not not mind giving up my vote since I have been non-productive since I retired.

In the U.S. there are almost ZERO cases of the voter fraud suggested by this topic.

Why?

Nnn citizens know it is a major crime to do so and calling attention to themselves like that is the last thing they want to do.

Thus I consider this a baiting topic trying to add fuel to the false narrative that this is actually a problem.

So no poll vote from me.

9 minutes ago, riclag said:

Far left Social Justice activist are cornered !

The nexus of the argument is documentation. Requiring clear proof of citizenship,like a passport, birth certificate, or equivalent,it would destroy the undocumented immigration crisis fueled by systemic progressivism policies, advocacy, and enforcement priorities.

Dem house leader H. Jeffries has opposed Gop led efforts such as the SAVE Act (and its recent updates like the SAVE America Act/H.R. 7296 and related bills), which mandate specific documents to prove citizenship for federal voter registration.

Jeffries calls these voter suppression bills and dead on arrival in the Senate, framing them as attempts to undermine free and fair elections or even steal the 2026 midterms through nationalization or barriers. He ties opposition to broader fights, like demanding changes to DHS/ICE practices before funding bills move forward.

Google ai overview:

"Based on recent political debates, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has opposed Republican-led efforts, such as the SAVE Act, that would mandate the use of specific documents like passports or birth certificates to prove citizenship for voter registration".

To think ,The far left social justice activists politicians are cornered, their "undocumented" narrative would be destroyed by mandatory documentation for voting.

8 minutes ago, biervoormij said:

Green card was an example but this would also include anyone that has legal status in the US. People under refugee status are legal and can get a Real ID. People under student visas can get real IDs. People under temporary protected status (TPS) like all the Haitian in the US can get Real IDs.

I think all US citizens should be allowed to vote but if there is an issue with non-citizens voting Real ID does not resolve the problem.

If you want to stop non-productive people from voting that is another issue. I would not not mind giving up my vote since I have been non-productive since I retired.

Been very productive, but only voted once in national election. At national level, one corrupt idiot is just as good or bad as the other. My vote won't change anything for the good or bad.

Local voting does have an effect, on me personally, so made sure I did that. If I was a good little boy all the time, I probably wouldn't have bothered locally, and didn't after I matured a bit. Never stayed in one state anyway. After 25 yrs old, I probably wasn't even registered to vote anywhere.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

But what percentage of Mexicans favour it?

Mexican Americans fall under Latino (from Latin America). And Hispanic (Latinos from Spanish speaking countries).

13 minutes ago, impulse said:

Mexican Americans fall under Latino (from Latin America). And Hispanic (Latinos from Spanish speaking countries).

I was talking about the illegals.

Citizens all have id of some kind.