Voter ID laws

A voter ID law is a law that requires a person to show some form of identification in order to vote or receive a ballot for an election. In jurisdictions requiring voter IDs, the voters must present a photo ID. Because of perceptions of a differing means to obtain identification on the basis of socioeconomic status, age, or race, some people consider these laws as controversial.

A Guarani-Kaiowá native Brazilian shows her voter identification, September 2006

Examples

Australia

In Australia, where voting is compulsory for all adult citizens, no form of ID is required to cast a ballot at an election; instead, voters are asked three questions before being issued a ballot, so that they can be checked off the electoral roll: (1) what is your full name; (2) where do you live; and (3) have you voted before in this election?[1] On election day, voters can vote at any polling place in their state of residence, and at selected polling places in other states.[2]

Brazil

In Brazil voting is compulsory to all citizens between 18 and 70 years old.[3] To vote, all citizens must:

Since 2006 the Brazilian Electoral Justice is re-registering voters with biometric identification. In the 2014 elections more than 22 million voters out of 141 million[5] will be identified by fingerprints.[6]

Canada

Federal elections

In Canada, the Federal government mails an Elections Canada registration confirmation card, which the voter takes to the polling station. The card tells the individual where and when to vote. Voters must prove their identity and address with one of three options:[7]

Provincial elections

However, in some provinces a voter must establish their identity by presenting a health insurance card, driver’s license, Canadian passport, certificate of Indian status, or a Canadian Forces ID card.[8] These are all photos IDs.

Germany

Germany uses a community-based resident registration system. Everyone eligible to vote receives a personal polling notification by mail, some weeks before the election. The notification indicates the voter's precinct polling station. Voters must present their polling notification and if asked a piece of photo ID (identity card (compulsory in Germany), passport, form of identification). As a rule identification is not required other than by the polling notification. If the voter can not present the notification, a valid ID and an entry in the register of voters can qualify for voting.[9][10]

Netherlands

The registration office of each municipality in the Netherlands maintains a registration of all residents. Every eligible voter receives a personal polling notification by mail some weeks before the election, indicating the polling station of the voter's precinct. Voters must present their polling notification and a piece of photo ID (passport, identity card, or drivers license (a passport or ID is compulsory from the age of 14)). Such photo ID may be expired but not by more than five years.[11]

Switzerland

In Swiss cantons (i.e. the subnational political level in Switzerland) that still use the Landsgemeinde or cantonal assembly; Historically, or in Appenzell until the admission of women, the only proof of citizenship necessary for men to enter the voting area was to show their ceremonial sword or Swiss military sidearm (bayonet); this gave proof that you were a freeman allowed to bear arms and to vote. Women, and men who choose to do so, may show their voting card instead.[12]

United States

The Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the conditioning of the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax. However, many states have some form of voter ID requirement, which have been allowed to stand by the Supreme Court.[13][14]

Proponents of voter ID laws in the United States claim they are necessary to maintain the integrity of elections. Critics of such laws claim that they keep certain—mostly lower economic class—voters from the polls, and cite the lack of evidence of significant voter fraud.

See also

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.