The High Cost of a Free Voter ID by Faye Anderson

Hi this is George Cook I am reposting this article from Faye Anderson, a voting rights advocate with her permission.  I think it will help some better understand how the efforts of republicans to change voting laws could hurt many voters.   

The High Cost of a Free Voter ID by Faye Anderson

I spent the weekend at the Random Hacks of Kindness hackathon at Drexel University. The event brought together developers and subject matter experts to build mobile and web apps “to make the world a better place.”

I’m a voting rights advocate so I shared the problem facing millions of registered voters who, for the first time, must present a government-issued photo ID in order to vote. Voters without a photo ID can apply for a free voter ID, but they need a photo ID to establish their identity.

In eight states – Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin – voters must show an official photo ID to vote.

In Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the U. S. Supreme Court held that states with strict photo ID requirements must provide free IDs. While the voter ID is free, the document a citizen must produce to establish his or her identity is not free. Those documents include a certified copy of a birth certificate or a passport. Of course, if a voter has a passport, there would no need for a voter ID.

The cost of obtaining a birth certificate ranges from $5.00 in Indiana to $25.00 in Georgia. In addition to the state fee, an applicant will have to pay for postage and photocopying (if requested by mail), transportation (if requested in person) or a processing fee (if ordered online).

The strict photo ID requirement will disproportionately impact young and minority voters.

Civil rights and advocacy groups, including the ACLU and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, are challenging restrictive photo ID as an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote. But the countdown to Election Day 2012 has begun and voters without a government-issued photo ID need assistance right now.

So on Sunday, we presented the prototype for the Cost of Freedom App.

Developed by Joe Tricarico, John Campbell, Maneesha Sane and yours truly, the location-based web app will provide voters with the information they need to apply for a voter ID. If they do not have the documents to establish their identity, users can type in their address to find out how to obtain, for instance, a certified copy of their birth certificate and the cost. If they want to apply in person, they will be given the location, office hours, and directions using public transportation.

This citizen-led initiative is powered by developers, researchers, bloggers and ordinary Americans who are concerned about the impact of restrictive photo ID requirements on voter turnout. To get involved, please visit us atFacebook.com/CostofFreedom.