There are European countries which don't require ID (for example the UK). The thing you're perhaps missing is that if you don't have a compulsory national ident

There are European countries which don't require ID (for example the UK). The thing you're perhaps missing is that if you don't have a compulsory national identity card of some kind, then many people will not have an easily available 'official' ID. The problem is worse in the states because so many people don't own a passport. In any case, there is very little evidence for substantial voter fraud in the US as far as I'm aware. The general point about the US being perhaps overly smug about its democracy is valid however. Just not because of a lack of voter ID requirement (in fact, the introduction of requirements is more likely a source of undermining democracy there).