America has seen many arguments both for and against regulative voting laws, especially when it comes to voter IDs. To reach a compromise between both sides, the government must provide a policy that includes a free and readily available universal ID for voting.
​Considering voter ID laws create a highly partisan battle, stakeholders on the issue cut pretty clearly between party lines. Generally, Republicans favor having voter ID laws, while Democrats oppose them. Though both sides claim they don’t have ulterior motives for their positions, their opinions on this issue are rooted in self- interest.
Republicans and Democrats have sharply different views on this issue for one main reason: the people who vote without IDs are often of minority status. And because minority voters typically vote for the Democratic Party, both sides have reasons to lean toward one belief or the other.
Current voter ID laws are unfair and discriminatory, but taking them away completely opens the door to voter fraud. The only way to keep the laws in place while creating equal opportunity for everyone to vote is a universal ID.
The most common form of photo ID, the driver’s license, creates three obstacles for voters: the time demands required to get a license, the difficulty affording a license and the difficulty of reaching the qualifications to receive a license. These three obstacles make it harder for the working class, the poor and the elderly. Because of these obstacles, it can be difficult for some to exercise their constitutional right to participate in the voting process.
Some will argue it costs too much to distribute IDs for free, but the government’s job is to make sure people are able to fulfill their rights as American citizens. By allowing people to obtain universal IDs, the government eliminates the poll tax that needing a driver’s license creates, and preserves the democratic process.
The government can use the already-established U.S. Postal Service to send IDs all over the country. The cost of the program will take money from the budget, but it will be a lot cheaper than the cost of fighting over the right policies.
Neither side is suggesting a universal ID, but it could be a compromise that can make both sides happy while still respecting all amendments regarding the right to vote. Though the policy of providing a universal ID will need funding and bipartisanship, implementing said system will further guarantee people’s constitutional right to vote while simultaneously preventing fraud and impersonation. Such a system is less discriminatory than current voter ID laws, and it creates prevention to illegal voting.
Lynne Bunch is an 18-year-old mass communication freshman from Terrytown, Louisiana.