[willcipriano]

Due to previous rulings on poll taxes, any place where ID is required to vote, ID is also required to be obtainable for free.

The people repeating this myth are smart enough to know better so one must assume they intend to have people who can't obtain ID via legal means, voting.

[SOLAR_FIELDS]

Citation needed, and also this argument is not really made in good faith. I live in Texas. These are the requirements to obtain an ID: https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/how-apply-t...

As you can see there is a fee associated with it.

Technically you do not have to present ID in Texas[1], but the requirements to not present an ID are so onerous you would easily be able to afford an ID before you could meet them. Because not only do you have to provide one of these documents, you also have to prove you cannot reasonably obtain an id... But the requirements are such that if you have the ability to provide one of these documents, you almost certainly have the ability to obtain an id. So the state will say "Well, you're able to obtain this document, why can't you get an ID?" and invalidate your vote. So the de-facto result is that you need an ID.

And this argument handwaves away, as the above links demonstrate, the significant amount of hurdles required to get an ID in Texas, which is not only paying a fee.

1: https://www.votetexas.gov/mobile/id-faqs.htm

[willcipriano]

Citation needed for all your assumptions after your correct statement: "Technically you do not have to present ID in Texas"

From your link:

Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo ID and cannot reasonably obtain one:

copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate; copy of or original current utility bill; copy of or original bank statement; copy of or original government check; copy of or original paycheck; or copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document).

Find a state where you have to pay for ID and you require ID to vote if it's such a problem.

[wakawaka28]

I'm sorry but if you can't afford $30 every 8 years there is something very wrong with you. I would not be opposed to a poverty exemption for the fee, but the fee is so low that nobody realistically needs it. I don't know of a state with no fees for documents like ID.

There are identication requirements to get an ID, but that goes for any state. You have to have that to prevent identity theft. If you move to a new state you can usually turn in your old ID with like one other thing to get a new one in that state.

[notnaut]

> it is impossible to live a normal life without ID as it is

> if you can't afford $30 every 8 years there is something very wrong with you.

I don’t think it should be a requirement to be normal or “right” to be able to vote, from whatever perspective it is you’ve got on the world.

[wakawaka28]

You are entitled to your opinion. But if you want to know my perspective: We have numerous obligations as members of society, such as wearing clothes. ID is such a fundamental thing to a government that it must be issued and used for government functions. If someone refuses to get an ID or can't manage to hang on to one, that is unfortunate but not the government's problem. If the issuance process takes too long, I would be OK with trying to fix that. I would not be entirely opposed to making ID free for people in poverty. But I still think even the poorest people can afford to keep an ID.

The only way to reliably ensure one person gets only one vote without requiring ID is to use biometrics or something. I would not be opposed to having that option either, because it would put this debate to rest. So, either provide an ID or verify your fingerprints, your choice.

[tzs]

Those "free" IDs are often only free in the sense that the issuer of the ID does not charge for it. But there may be fees to obtain the documents necessary to get that "free" ID.