State’s Voter Identification Laws, Rules for 2012 Presidential Election

Are New Voter Identification Laws Fair

Stricter laws critics say could disenfranchise older voters

Democracy is founded on the right to vote. But in the United States, each state makes its own laws about how voting is conducted. Since the 2010 election, 14 state legislatures have passed . Thirty-two states now require voters to show some sort of identification before casting a ballot; in some cases that means a government-issued photo ID. See also:
Advocates of the laws claim they reduce voter fraud. Opponents say there is little evidence of such fraud, and the laws impose a challenging barrier to voting for older Americans and other groups. The controversy heated up recently when the , citing the 1965 Voting Rights Act, blocked new voter ID laws from taking effect in South Carolina and Texas. You may also like:

Related

Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.