What’s really behind GOP’s voter ID push?

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OPINION — Let’s be honest, Tom Slade’s latest letter about needing voter ID laws appears to be just one more example of wanting less people to vote, especially minorities.

If someone thinks that’s an outrageous statement, look at what states did recently when the Supreme Court struck down much of the Voting Rights Act. Almost overnight, states began gerrymandering boundaries that protected minorities’ votes. 

Let’s remember that the GOP was under court supervision for 35 years for election violations.

According to a University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civil engagement survey, 2.6 million Americans lack a government-issued photo ID and many have no ID at all. The survey found that 18% of African Americans don’t have a driver’s license and that number rises to 30% among Black residents ages 18 to 29. It also found that 15% of Hispanic Americans and 5% of White Americans don’t have a driver’s license.

Mr. Slade stated that 50% of Democrats favor voter ID. When asked if they support voter identification, were they informed that this would greatly reduce minority voting rights? Was it explained married that women whose last names have changed may have voting issues because their name doesn’t match their birth certificate?

Many states have made it challenging to get proper ID, including costs to get replacement ID.

It wasn’t until Trump claimed in 2020 that he lost to Biden because of voter fraud, without providing proof, that we began to hear widespread claims of fraud. Despite those claims, the conservative Heritage Foundation found less than 140 examples of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Interesting that four years later the GOP won the House, the Senate and the presidency. How was all that alleged voter fraud fixed so quickly? Now they want to stop vote by mail.

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