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In the United States, getting an ID is expensive and time-consuming and is often inaccessible to many people, particularly those who don’t speak English, are po

In the United States, getting an ID is expensive and time-consuming and is often inaccessible to many people, particularly those who don’t speak English, are poor, or work service jobs. These people are the same people who are historically marginalized and oppressed. This is why voter ID laws in the United States are fundamentally anti-democratic and disenfranchising. If IDs were free and incredibly easy to get, I wouldn’t care about a voter ID law.

atonse 11mo ago
I hear this a lot, can you give me any examples of how these IDs are inaccessible? Can you please give concrete examples of what is asked for that feels onerous, or any specific cases where people aren't able to get IDs? For example, I know that Maryland DMV will even offer a translator to help you with your driving test. I'm not sure why, because all signs are in English. I have seen exactly the opposite, that at least in Maryland and bigger states, they go out of their way to make things convenient.
- tzs 11mo ago
  Here's a comment [1] from a discussion a prior thread that contains a whole bunch of links to why ID is very hard to get for many eligible voters. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42116609 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42116609
  - atonse 11mo ago
    Thank you. This is why I appreciate HN.
dzhiurgis 11mo ago
How do they buy alcohol?
- acdha 11mo ago
  40% of Americans never do, and many of the people who do don’t buy it themselves. For example, elderly people are one of the groups which disproportionately lack current photo ID but would also be more likely to have relatives helping with their shopping or simply not being carded either because they’re visibly far past the limit or have been buying at the same place for ages.
- tzs 11mo ago
  Ask a friend who does have ID to pick up your alcohol?
- RandallBrown 11mo ago
  Without an ID? I look young for my age (well over 21) and I almost never get carded for alcohol purchases. Even on my 21st birthday when I went to make my first legal purchase I wasn't carded.
0x457 11mo ago
> In the United States, getting an ID is expensive and time-consuming and is often inaccessible to many people, particularly those who don’t speak English, are poor, or work service jobs. No to all of that? Passport book (which you don't need unless you travel internationally) cost 165 USD per 10 years. Time-consuming...it's a one short trip to local-ish post office (not every post office has passport services). Sure, it's appointment only and only M-F, but you need to do it once every 10 years. Non-English speakers... You have to pass a basic English test for naturalization, and if you're born here, you probably should speak at least basic English. It's one form as you have to fill out online. Objectively, it's easier for a service worker to get shit done during the workweek than for 9-5 salaried. Anyway, California got it right: applied for Real ID? Want to register to vote or update your registration while you're at it? And it cost like $40 (depending on state) IDs are cheap and easy to get, and I wouldn't want a person who can't figure something that simple to have any voice on the federal level.
- acdha 11mo ago
  Yes to all of that. Your experience is not universally shared, and the people who are affected disproportionately belong to specific groups which have been discriminated against in the past (e.g. Native Americans on a reservation are more likely not to have a short trip to a local post office). Here’s a summary from 2012 by people who study this professionally: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voter-identification https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/vote... I would also note that in theory, this is a fixable problem and no election security expert I’ve heard of opposes doing it in the right order (make ID universally available before disenfranchising anyone), they’re just quick to note that there’s absolutely no evidence that it would make a difference in outcomes despite the high cost.
  - 0x457 11mo ago
    > (e.g. Native Americans on a reservation are more likely not to have a short trip to a local post office). People that choose to live on a reservation required to take a slightly longer trip once in 10 years. The horror.
- 11mo ago

atonse 11mo ago

I hear this a lot, can you give me any examples of how these IDs are inaccessible? Can you please give concrete examples of what is asked for that feels onerous, or any specific cases where people aren't able to get IDs? For example, I know that Maryland DMV will even offer a translator to help you with your driving test. I'm not sure why, because all signs are in English. I have seen exactly the opposite, that at least in Maryland and bigger states, they go out of their way to make things convenient.

tzs 11mo ago
Here's a comment [1] from a discussion a prior thread that contains a whole bunch of links to why ID is very hard to get for many eligible voters. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42116609 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42116609
- atonse 11mo ago
  Thank you. This is why I appreciate HN.

dzhiurgis 11mo ago

How do they buy alcohol?

acdha 11mo ago
40% of Americans never do, and many of the people who do don’t buy it themselves. For example, elderly people are one of the groups which disproportionately lack current photo ID but would also be more likely to have relatives helping with their shopping or simply not being carded either because they’re visibly far past the limit or have been buying at the same place for ages.
tzs 11mo ago
Ask a friend who does have ID to pick up your alcohol?
RandallBrown 11mo ago
Without an ID? I look young for my age (well over 21) and I almost never get carded for alcohol purchases. Even on my 21st birthday when I went to make my first legal purchase I wasn't carded.

0x457 11mo ago

> In the United States, getting an ID is expensive and time-consuming and is often inaccessible to many people, particularly those who don’t speak English, are poor, or work service jobs. No to all of that? Passport book (which you don't need unless you travel internationally) cost 165 USD per 10 years. Time-consuming...it's a one short trip to local-ish post office (not every post office has passport services). Sure, it's appointment only and only M-F, but you need to do it once every 10 years. Non-English speakers... You have to pass a basic English test for naturalization, and if you're born here, you probably should speak at least basic English. It's one form as you have to fill out online. Objectively, it's easier for a service worker to get shit done during the workweek than for 9-5 salaried. Anyway, California got it right: applied for Real ID? Want to register to vote or update your registration while you're at it? And it cost like $40 (depending on state) IDs are cheap and easy to get, and I wouldn't want a person who can't figure something that simple to have any voice on the federal level.

acdha 11mo ago
Yes to all of that. Your experience is not universally shared, and the people who are affected disproportionately belong to specific groups which have been discriminated against in the past (e.g. Native Americans on a reservation are more likely not to have a short trip to a local post office). Here’s a summary from 2012 by people who study this professionally: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voter-identification https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/vote... I would also note that in theory, this is a fixable problem and no election security expert I’ve heard of opposes doing it in the right order (make ID universally available before disenfranchising anyone), they’re just quick to note that there’s absolutely no evidence that it would make a difference in outcomes despite the high cost.
- 0x457 11mo ago
  > (e.g. Native Americans on a reservation are more likely not to have a short trip to a local post office). People that choose to live on a reservation required to take a slightly longer trip once in 10 years. The horror.
11mo ago