Sunday, October 09, 2011

Opinion: Are you concerned about voter fraud? Are you concerned that new laws will hinder people from voting?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-voter-fraud/2011/10/04/gIQAkjoYTL_story.html?hpid=z2


http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/study_new_voting_restrictions_may_affect_more_than_five_million

39 comments:

npaape said...

I believe that voter fraud is all around us. We clearly have a problem with illegal immigrants coming into our country if it is being discussed in the voter elections. By having new restrictions on voting more people will want to vote because their identity will be protected. This will show their ID so no one else can pretend to be someone their not. This is a more honest voting system making the races fair.

neve57 said...

I believe that voter fraud is not as big now as it was 20 years ago. People are not stealing peoples identites as much as before, but there are a lot more illegal citizens that hinder the elections. I think that new laws won't hinder people from voting, just that it will make people not want to vote because of all the new laws and restrictions. Voting will now take longer and most people do not have 20-30 minutes to wait in line to vote.

Chris DeWinter said...

I strongly support the voter ID bills in the United States for three reasons.

First, under the current system of voter registration I could vote and no one could stop me. All I would need to vote for another person under the current system is the persons address and name. Anyone with a phone book could find out this information. No one could stop you and say you aren't the person you are claiming to be because they can't look at your ID. This means anyone could pretty much vote if they wanted to.

The second reason is that now a days you need an ID to do just about anything. An ID is required to drive a car, boat, snowmobile, or plane. You need an ID to buy guns, alcohol, tobacco. An ID is required to rent library books, start a bank account, apply for food stamps or even just to buy lunch at this school. These are just a few things you need an ID for in society today.

The third reason I support the voter ID bill is because if you are living in this country legally you should have no problem getting an ID. Every person should have a birth certificate, social security number, or immigrantion documents required to get an ID.

jblommel said...

In today's day and age, people will do anything to get ahead, and in elections, that means voter fraud. Voter fraud is an easy way for candidates and their supporters to get political office without having the number of votes they really need. When casting fraudulent votes, people can vote multiple times, using the names of anyone, such as dead people or people choosing not to vote in certain elections. Requiring people to present an ID when voting would cause people to prove that they are who they claim to be. Also, legal residents should not have a problem obtaining an ID because they have nothing to fear or hide from the government.

TPassow said...

I believe that voter fraud is a big issue because illegal aliens could find information about legal citizens easily with all accesses to information these days. So I believe that showing a photo identification would help to keep the people that are citizens actually voting for who they want, not someone who illegal aliens want counters to think they voted for. Though it will hinder speeds at which we vote at, it will keep our countries voting system correct to what the population of legal Americans want it to be.

Paige said...

I am not particularly concerned about voter fraud. For this issue to make a major difference, a significant amount of people must be able to somehow manipulate the polls in order to get ahead in the race.

The new laws, on the other hand, may in fact hinder voting. The vast amount of identification required to be presented may cause some to forget specified items; therefore, when they arrive at the polls to register, they may be turned away, and not bother returning again.

jboyle said...

I believe that voter fraud is always going to be around but I am not too worried about it. One of the reasons is because as stated in the article less than one percent of votes cast are considered voter fraud and most of the time it is due to accidentally filling out the papers need to register to vote. I am also think that the new laws will keep people from voting because it will cost some people even more money to get the correct papers needed to register. Another reason why I believe that the new laws will keep people from voting is because now a days people are very busy and might not have the extra time to get the correct papers needed and they also might not have the time to wait in the long lines while to go through the whole process.

JakobL said...

I am not concerned about voter fraud. To really affect the result of the voting there must be more people than only a few. The percentage is so low that it doesn't really matter. And yes I am concerned that the new law will hinder people from voting. If they don't have enough money to update their photo ID they should get still the chance to vote.
And if you spend time on creating a fake ID only for voting than - I think - you have a specific reason for voting so you are maybe better informed than most of the adults who are just voting because they can.

Anonymous said...

I am not concerned about voter fraud, However, I think the more precautions the government takes to prevent fraud will make people less likely to vote. Any precautions would make the voting process more of a hassle for everyday Americans. The average citizen will not want to come out and vote if it is going to be a long dragged out ordeal just to vote.

aspone said...

I believe that voting fraud is a problem that needs to be fixed. It shocks me that I need an ID to buy a school lunch but people only need a name and address to vote. I do not see why it would hinder people voting. The only people it would hinder are the people who are not supposed to be voting in the first place.

KKotecki said...

I am concerned about voter fraud because these days many people will do almost anything they can to get into office. The voter fraud laws are not preventing the poor and non white citizens from voting. They have as much of a right as anyone else to get a photo ID in order to vote. If they are not eligible because they are, for example, illegal that is another issue. People will vote if they want to and if they have a strong desire to vote they will find a way to get an ID. Part of the new law is that they have to offer you a free ID so therefore money should not be a problem. Most of the people who vote now do so because they want to. They are not forced to vote. With the new laws they will still probably want to vote and just have an extra step which is showing their ID's. This way people will not be able to vote under other names or illegally and the real citizens will be able to have their voice heard.

awichgers said...

Although voter fraud is not extremely evident in the US, it still exists. Every year, thousands of votes, (whether they are for presidential elections or new state laws), come from illegal immigrants, people who steal the identity of others, or dead citizens. While thousands of votes do not have a huge impact on the results, since millions and millions of votes are accounted for, they still matter. Many times, important elections can be very close. That small percentage of fake or illegal votes could be enough to change the results. Even though this is unlikely, it is possible. Therefore, voter fraud does concern me and, until it no longer exists, it will hinder people from voting.

Sfrasher said...

I am somewhat concerned about the voting fraud in our country. In the upcoming presidential election, a lot is going to be at stake (i.e. the economy, illegal immigration, health care, etc.) and I don’t want fraudulent votes ultimately affecting the outcome. I am fully in support of the voter ID bills in the United States. We need the state voter ID laws to prevent fraud, because a photo ID requirement would prevent 1,000-10,000 legitimate votes for every single improper vote prevented. Even though there are a small amount of illegal votes per year, that small percentage of illegal votes could ultimately decide the fate of many important elections. I believe that if someone has the will to vote, they will have the desire to obtain an ID. Legal residents of the United States should not have a hard time obtaining documentation, because if they truly are legal they should have nothing to hide to the government. Overall, I am concerned that voter fraud could change the results of an upcoming election.

Anonymous said...

I don't think that voter fraud is as common as it used to be. Nowadays, as the article said, it is mostly people incorrectly filling out paperwork. I think that the ID law will help prevent voter fraud nonetheless. I don't see many people going through the trouble of a fake ID just to be able to vote. It will also probably prevent illegal immigrants from voting as they do not have ID. However, the article stated this exactly, I think that for every fraudulent voter we are stopping, we are keeping many more from voting simply because of the hassle it poses and time it takes.

aschulist said...

The articles that I just read make it sound like the only reason politicians, mostly Republican, are trying to make voting laws more strict is because they think it will benefit them and they will be more likely to win. That may be true for a few of them, but I am concerned about voter fraud because of illegal immigration. I think that when an ID is not required, it is too easy for people that are not citizens to vote. Simply requiring a photo ID would eliminate a great amount of fraud while only preventing a small portion of people from voting. This is because most people have/need photo ID’s for other things—a photo ID is needed to get a library card, to drive, to buy alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, and even spray paint, to get a bank account, and often to get a job. It seems like it would be very difficult to live and work in this country without a photo ID. Additionally, one of the articles states that 11% of American adults do not hold photo ID’s. But less than 60% of Americans actually vote, according to the Voter and Registration Data of the US Census. So chances are, a lot of that 11% without ID’s fall into the more than 40% that doesn’t even vote.

APrichard said...

Due to the increase in voting security for most major political offices i don't believe that fraud is a major issue of voting today. However it is still present today. I support the need for an ID though in order to vote as most purchases of objects in today's society require the use of an ID and voting should also come to adopt this idea. I do not believe that the new law will hinder people from voting due to the fact that it is almost required in society to already have an ID. Although time constraints may affect numerous citizens with the increase time for voting those who wish to take part in the political process for how our country is run will continue to vote.

Kelly M said...

I am concerned that new laws will hinder people from voting. Young voters, minorities, and the poor will have the most difficult time voting. Seven states now require that citizens have to have a photo i.d. to vote. Over 21 citizens do not posses a photo i.d. Also, 5 other states enacted bills to reduce early and absentee voting days. I believe that this is unfair because it discourages a certain group of people from voting.

Big Al said...

I am concerned about voter fraud because any election altered by voting fraud could change the future. I am mostly worried about companies and voter fraud. Since companies are considered people, does that mean the company has the right to vote. If it has the right to vote, how many votes does it get?
I think new voting laws may hinder some people from voting, but i feel that more frauds will be prevented then legitimate voters will be hinderd.
I am curious with the new laws and fraud protection how many voters there will be and what percentage is it up or down from last election. It may show how much fraud has played a roll on our nation

bhlava said...

I believe that voter fraud is a problem not so much because of illegal immigrants but because of identity theft and possibilities of politicians using voter fraud to win elections. When thinking about voter fraud my mind automatically went to that Chris Farley movie "Black Sheep" where his brother is running for governor and his opponent uses the names of old dead residents to rig the election. I think that is more likely a bigger problem than the illegal immigrant problem.

I am slightly concerned that the new laws will hinder people from voting, but i think young adults and senior citizens will be the most hindered. With the new Id laws requiring that all voters produce an Id, i think this will stop many young adults who don't have an
id from voting (there's a lot more than you'd think). Also, the senior population, who also have a lack of Id cards may be put off by this new requirement.

bhlava said...
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J.Mason said...

Voter fraud happens in the millions, every election. Those who strongly support a candidate, and are very strong in political life will do things that are not fair just to get that certain person into office. Another problem with voter fraud are those who cannot legally vote, undocumented immigrants, they will vote for those who will help other undocumented immigrants become, documented. No, I am not concerend that new laws will hinder people from voting, if the people want to vote, they will vote.

Jbandoszeski said...

I believe that voter fraud is not as prevalent today as it was in the past. Today their are many people that will do anything to get their man or woman into office. The only difference is now, rather than in the past, the booths are a lot more stirct on identification and authenticity of the voter. I do not think that new laws would hinder anyone from voting. One reason is that people feel it is their duty to vote for our next representative, even if they know nothing about the candidate. Second people like to see their opinions get voted in the election.

Jwolf said...

I believe voter fraud is still a major issue; however, I believe that the new laws on registration will make it more difficult for people to vote. Wisconsin in general has made it difficult to register on voting day, and for those who have moved into the state. With laws passed prohibiting people to vote without a valid ID will bring down the number of votes drastically. This in turn, will have less influence on the electoral college, making them vote any way they want, and not what the people want. In a way these laws are making the national government stronger.

tFugarino said...

I think voter fraud is a disscussable issue but not as big as some people think. Illegal voters are a problem they vote for whoever they feel fit to run the government. I think we should lock down on more security and check people better before they are allowed to vote. this will help limit voter fraud and illegal voters.

Bmurph said...

I don't believe that voter fraud is a big problem in the U.S. In the article it said that there was a very small percentage of voter fraud, and some of it was a mistake in paper work or not knowing eligability. I agree with the voter ID bills, because it would eliminate voter fraud. But, honestly, i do not think that voter fraud affects our country now than it may have before. i am somewhat concerned that the new laws will hinder people from voting, but it shouldnt affect that many people. If someone wants to vote, getting a voter/photo ID will not be that big of a deal. It is not that hard to get the legal documentation if you are a legal citiczen. I believe that these new voting laws will affect future elections.

sli said...

Voter fraud is a controversial topic. Under the new law voters will have to register at least two business days prior to an election in order to vote. Supporters of the new law, like Webster, say it's an attempt to reduce voter fraud. But opponents of the new law have said the new law will suppress voting and voter turnout.

Adam Joerres said...

Voter fraud is an issue, I think that anyone who denies that fact is simply ignorant. I believe that certain measures can be taken to help avoid voter fraud, but I also believe that if one takes the amount of security too far it truly will be a hindrance and slow down the voting process. Certain things, like having an ID and registering ahead of time are fine, but anything farther and one may hear and uproar.

Jegan said...

I do not feel that voter fraud is a problem in the U.S. because with so many people in the U.S. and such a small amount of voters actually committing fraud it will have little effect on elections. My opinion is that the voter ID bill will actually discourage people from showing up to the polls to cast their votes. Due to the extra hoops be put in place just to cast a vote.

ANichols said...

Although voter fraud can be a very serious matter, I beleive that it does not impose an extreme threat in the United States. In my opinion, people overthink the use of ID fraud. Moreover, people over estimate the times that it happens. However, in reality, voter fraud is not a serious matter because there are rarely any cases in which it is spotted. On the other hand, I do not believe that new law will hinder people from voting. I do not think this will happen because the only difference will be is that voters will have to provide proof of identification. This should not be a problem because a majority of people already carry their ID on them, so it's only a matter of pulling the ID out of the wallet or purse and showing it to the person at the election poll. It should not be a problem

Andrew Salo said...

Though voter fraud can be a big problem, I am not very concerned about it. It doesn't happen nearly as much as it used to, but it is still a problem with the illegal citizens. I think that the new laws wouldn't be a problem at all because it isn't that hard to show your identication.

SMiller said...
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SMiller said...
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SMiller said...

Yes... I believe I lost my identication.

THaase said...

I believe voter fraud is around us regardless of the actions we take but i do also believe the new laws help crack down on the fraud. The need for an ID will alow for the verification of each voter and limites the amount of fraud.

Anne L. said...

In my opinion, I'm not too concerned about voter fraud. Only a handful of people have been convicted of this crime, making the percentage rate of voter fraud almost insignificant. In terms of the new voting laws, yes they will be more of a hassle for voters. But these are voters who would vote anyway, who are concerned about the future of their nation. Today, there are just as many people that vote, that don't vote. This is a major problem. Most people may see voting as our given right, but when not used is also our worst asset.

PatrickW said...

I am not to concerned with voter fraud. I believe there have been a few reports done on voter fraud and found very few cases of it. I am concerned with the new voter ID laws as they may inhibit people from voting. Many people already feel they are too busy to vote and adding another step into the process may cause the amount of people who vote to drop even more.

Mike O said...

I am concerned with voter fraud. I believe that the need for an ID would lower the rate of voter fraud. New laws may hinder people from voting, but I am not concerned that these laws will have a major impact on elections.

Anonymous said...

Voter fraud is a very concerning thing, and it is scary because it is real. No person should be able to express his or her opinion any more times than any other person. For elections to be fair, no person should be able to commit voter fraud, whether that is possible or not. I believe that voter fraud can be eliminated and eventually will be. However, for the time being, it is here and with every vote being so powerful in elections, it can cause problems. I think the new laws will hinder people from voting at first, but eventually they will help the country and people will be able to vote like they should be able to.

Unknown said...

I think voter fraud is definitely something real and definitely something that needs to be worried about. I truly believe that instead of spending so many millions of dollars on running a campaign, we should take some of that money to be able to ensure that all the campaigning is worth it. People deserve to have their opinion heard, but we all also deserve for our opinion to be worth just as much as anyone else's. I don't think the new voting laws will cause too much of an issue once things are all figured out, like any legislation that is different. I think more needs to be done to protect against voter fraud and that the country will be better off when every vote counts and every vote is the same.