actual voter fraud is so unlikely as to be virtually non-existent. Republicans are worried they can't count on conning enough suckers to actually win an election fair and square (and they realize they can't have the SC stop an election and declare their choice for president too often) so they must try to keep the demographic that tends to vote democratic out of the voting booth.
Voter ID Laws Study: Voter Fraud Even Rarer Than The Odds of Winning Mega Millions
You are more likely to win Mega Millions that commit voter fraud in the US according to this study. The Justice Department recently blocked a Texas law requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification at polls on the grounds that it disproportionately disenfranchised Hispanics. The state sued the government in response, and the law is scheduled to be disputed in a federal trial in July.
Although voter fraud is a problem that should not be overlooked, I side with the Justice Department, as this law would negatively impact more people than the number of cases of voter fraud.
There is much ambiguity surrounding the issue of voter fraud. Only a few studies have measured the prevalence of fraud, such as this study conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice which showed that voter fraud is even rarer than being struck by lightning or winning the Mega Millions. But disenfranchisement of minority groups is very real. By disregarding an important component of the state's population, Texas' law creates a predetermined electoral outcome, prohibits an entire demographic from voicing their own opinions, and obstructs a key cornerstone of democracy in order to produce desired results.
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The Truth about Voter Fraud
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Allegations of widespread fraud by malevolent voters are easy to make, but often prove to be inflated or inaccurate. Crying “wolf” when the claims are unsubstantiated distracts attention from real problems that need real solutions. [font size="3"]
Moreover, these claims are frequently used to justify policies – including restrictive photo identification rules – that could not solve the alleged wrongs, but that could well disenfranchise legitimate voters[/font].
The Brennan Center carefully examines allegations of fraud to get at the truth behind the claims.
Two New Reports:
[div class="excerpt" style="background:#FF9999;"] • An
analysis of more than 250 claims of fraud in the Supreme Court's
photo ID case.
◦ Finding not one proven case of a fraudulent vote that the challenged law could prevent
◦ Exposing false assertions that photo ID is required for common activities
•The Truth About Voter Fraud, examining inflated claims of voter fraud nationwide
◦Debunking claims of double voting, dead voters, and more
See more about the link between voter fraud and restrictive ID rules
here and
here.
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Brennan Center for Justice: Policy Brief on the Truth About “Voter Fraud” --
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/policy_brief_on_the_truth_about_voter_fraud/
* Fraud by individual voters is both irrational and extremely rare.
* Many vivid anecdotes of purported voter fraud have been proven false or do not demonstrate fraud.
* Voter fraud is often conflated with other forms of election misconduct.
* Raising the unsubstantiated specter of mass voter fraud suits a particular policy agenda.
* Claims of voter fraud should be carefully tested before they become the basis for action.
Fraud by individual voters is both irrational and extremely rare. Most citizens who take the time to vote offer their legitimate signatures and sworn oaths with the gravitas that this hard-won civic right deserves. Even for the few who view voting merely as a means to an end, however, voter fraud is a singularly foolish way to attempt to win an election. Each act of voter fraud risks five years in prison and a $10,000 fine - but yields at most one incremental vote. The single vote is simply not worth the price.
Because voter fraud is essentially irrational, it is not surprising that no credible evidence suggests a voter fraud epidemic. There is no documented wave or trend of individuals voting multiple times, voting as someone else, or voting despite knowing that they are ineligible. Indeed, evidence from the microscopically scrutinized 2004 gubernatorial election in Washington State actually reveals just the opposite: though voter fraud does happen, it happens approximately 0.0009% of the time. The similarly closely-analyzed 2004 election in Ohio revealed a voter fraud rate of 0.00004%. National Weather Service data shows that Americans are struck and killed by lightning about as often.
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