Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin announced late last week the equipment to produce free photo identification cards for voters had been installed in all 75 counties.
Some, mostly Republican, no doubt view that as a major step forward in protecting the state’s election processes from fraud. Others, mostly Democrats, will claim it’s a GOP-fueled effort to disenfranchise significant minority segments of potential voters.
I recall having shown my driver’s license for years at the county clerk’s offce for early voting or at the precinct on Election Day, but a state law that takes eftect Jan. 1 will change the nature of that act. Previously, poll workers were required by law to ask voters for their identification cards - most often a driver’s license - but voters were not required to produce one.
The new law demands voters show a photographic proof of identity when they go to vote. It allows photo identification to be a college ID, an employee ID badge, a concealed handgun permit, a public assistance identification card, U.S. military ID and state-issued driver’s license. For the relative few who have no other form of ID, the new equipment at county clerks’ offces can provide a voter ID card for free.
Republican majorities in the Arkansas House and Senate passed Act 595 while Democrats complained the measure was unneeded and might disenfranchise some Arkansans. Gov. Mike Beebe did his party a solid and vetoed the bill, but the Legislature overrode the veto.
Democrats’ arguments of necessity held some water. Republicans never presented a compelling case of fraudulent voting that would have been prevented had the law previously been in effect.
But the disenfranchisement argument? Democrats didn’t demonstrate photo identification would be a substantial barrier to citizen participation in the election process, either.
Identification is often required for writing checks or using credit cards to buy merchandise. Identification cards are part of every traffic stop. So much of what we do requires some evidence of who we are.
Why should voting remain on a list of activities for which no proof of identity is required?
We unquestionably live in a nation with a spotted record when it comes to voting rights. The nation started with property owning white men casting ballots. Through hard work, and even lost lives, minorities clawed their way into the rightful expression of their citizenship. It should be understandable, then, that some of them are wary of any added hoops to jump through to exercise their rights.
But showing an identification card that most Americans already have in their pockets?
And for those few who need an election-specific identification card because they have no other, all they have to do is drop in at the county courthouse with a couple of documents almost everyone will have handy.
Opponents declare that’s simply too difficult, that some Americans can’t make it to obtain their identification. The new Arkansas requirements recognizes the limits of someone who is a resident of a long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state. All they have to show is a signed letter from their facility administrator showing they are a resident.
It seems the only folks being disenfranchised are the very few who don’t already have one of the many acceptable forms of identification and who won’t get off their duffs for a few minutes to visit the courthouse. There will need to be some educational efforts to make sure people are aware of the new requirement, but can the two parties not reach out to their constituents to spread the word? Martin endorsed such an eftort by the Republican Party of Arkansas and was then criticized by Democrats for being partisan. Since when is voter education partisan?
Democrats should join in.
Getting a voter identification is so simple, it seems those who declare the requirement discriminatory are themselves being sexist, racist and all the other “ists” they like to lob at conservatives. How can they really insist that minorities are somehow less capable of obtaining the identification care required by law? For years, voters have been barred from voting if they didn’t register at least 30 days before an election. Is that discriminatory, simply because it sets a basic standard voters must meet?
Those great Americans who ventured into hostile territory, with some losing their lives, to earn the right to vote might just shake their heads at the idea a photo identification is too heavy a burden to overcome for the exercise of one’s voting rights.
I have far more confidence than the critics that people who care enough to register and to vote can handle a requirement for photo identification.
GREG HARTON IS OPINION PAGE EDITOR FOR NWA MEDIA.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 11/25/2013