Mar 8, 2023 5 min read

As the Commission on Federal Election Reform, headed by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, stated: “The electoral system cannot inspire public confidence if no safeguards exist to deter or detect fraud or to confirm the identity of voters. Photo IDs currently are needed to board a plane, enter federal buildings, and cash a check. Voting is equally important.”

The Pennsylvania State Senate recently passed a bill proposing three state constitutional amendments to voters, including a voter identification requirement. The bill is awaiting action by the House of Representatives and does not need the approval of the governor before it is sent to the voters for a referendum vote at the next election.

Senate Bill 1 is straightforward. It requires voters to present a valid ID before getting a ballot in person or providing proof of ID if voting by mail, and it offers free government-issued IDs to any voter who doesn’t have one.

Every eligible voter should have the right to vote and the confidence that their vote counts. To ensure election integrity, eligibility needs to be established through identification. Simply put, a voter ID requirement will prevent in-person voter impersonation and increase public confidence in elections.

Many opponents of the bill point out that it’s a burden and expensive for many to obtain a valid ID to present at the polls. To ease the financial burden of any voter that does not possess a valid identification, PennDOT will furnish them with a government-issued ID at no cost.

Photo IDs have become commonplace and inevitable when going about our daily activities. That is why it’s not unreasonable to require picture identification to protect one of our most important rights. Suggesting voters are “disenfranchised” by such an election security procedure is irrational.

Currently, when voting at a polling place for the first time, an eligible voter must show proof of identification, either with a photo or not. This has long been a sticking point that many have said has led to in-person fraud by simply exhibiting a utility bill or paycheck in a person’s name.

Why is it OK for a first-time voter to present valid proof of identification and not again? Doesn’t this counter all arguments against showing proof of identification for each election?

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 35 states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls. The remaining 15 states and D.C., use other methods to verify the identity of voters. Most frequently, additional identifying information provided at the polling place, such as a signature, is checked against information on file.

In January, Ohio established a photo ID requirement. It takes effect on Friday, April 7, and will move Ohio from the strict non-photo category to the strict photo category.

Pennsylvania would be among several other states to have a Voter ID requirement in the constitution, as Arkansas and North Carolina have both previously approved ballot measures to amend their state constitution to require voter identification.

In a Heritage Foundation report titled “Voter Photo Identification: Protecting the Security of Elections,” they discovered that voter ID could prevent and deter: Impersonation fraud at the polls; voting under fictitious voter registrations; double voting by individuals registered in more than one state or locality; and voting by illegal aliens, or even legal aliens who are still not entitled to vote since state and federal elections are restricted to U.S. citizens.

While many call voter ID a partisan issue, it receives strong support nationally. A July 2021 poll from Honest Election Project shows that 81 percent of voters support the requirement.

Similarly, high favorables were given by Pennsylvania voters. A June 2021 poll from Franklin & Marshall College found that 74 percent of respondents, including 77 percent of independents, favored Voter ID requirements.

Hans von Spakovsky of The Heritage Foundation explains his voter ID research: “Those states (that have implemented voter ID laws) understand that the United States has an unfortunate history of voter fraud and that requiring individuals to authenticate their identity at the polls is a fundamental and necessary component of ensuring the integrity of the election process.”

Every individual who is eligible to vote should have the opportunity to do so. It is equally important, however, that the votes of eligible voters are not stolen or diluted by a fraudulent or bogus vote cast by an ineligible or imaginary voter. The evidence from academic studies and actual turnout in elections is also overwhelming that – contrary to the shrill claims of opponents – voter ID does not depress the turnout of voters, including minority, poor, and elderly voters.”

Beyond voter ID, I am proud that during my tenure our review of voter rolls has resulted in the purging of thousands of inactive, deceased, and relocated voter names being removed. We must begin elections with an accurate and updated list of registered voters. The regular examination of voter rolls is a commonsense way to root out any further opportunity for wrongdoers to commit election fraud.

With ID requirements in place across our nation, this commonsense proposal in the commonwealth would help enhance election integrity by adding another layer of security to our elections and increasing voter confidence.

I continue to hear from voters who wish to see a voter identification law enacted. The proposed constitutional amendment before the state House would finally give voters a voice to weigh in on this long overdue issue.

Nick Sherman is a Washington County commissioner.