For additional information, contact Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina, 919-489-1931
Data Highlight: Who Are the Active Voters Without A Photo ID?
Who are the voters most likely to face barriers by a proposal to require voters to show a government-issued photo ID each time they vote?
In early February, the State Board of Elections matched its database of 6.1 million registered voters with records at the Division of Motor Vehicles and learned that 1 million voters did not have a NC driver’s license or identification card with a matching name and address – a current, valid NC photo ID.
Now, additional research by the State Board of Elections shows that out of the 1 million voters:
● 114,000 matched except for a variation in name (e.g., women who changed their last name).
● 334,000 had other types of mismatching information but some indication they had an ID
That leaves 554,000 registered voters with no indication that a match exists:
● 95,000 of the 554,000 are classified as Inactive registered voters who have not voted for several years.
● 460,500 are Active registered voters with no indication of a NC current and valid ID.
Out of the 6.1 million registered voters, 5.6 million are classified as Active.
Democracy North Carolina has compared the demographic profile of the 460,500 Active voters who lack a state-issued ID with the 5.6 million statewide. The chart below provides the results of that analysis.
For example, while Blacks make up 22% of all Active voters, they are 32% of all Active voters without an ID. That means if you’re a Black Active voter, you’re 48% more likely to not have a current photo ID than other Active voters.
Seniors over 65 are 20% of Active voters but 32% of those with no ID. That means Seniors are 64% more likely to not have a current photo ID than other voters.
Women and Democrats are also significantly more likely to not have a current ID than men and Republicans.
Chart is also at: http://democracyncarchive.org/downloads/VoterIDDataByRaceSexAgePartySumm.doc
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COMPARING AMONG |
||||||
|
# |
# No |
% No |
% |
% No |
Increased |
|
|
STATE |
5,618,530 |
460,538 |
8.2% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
White |
4,113,656 |
276,006 |
6.7% |
73.2% |
59.9% |
|
|
Black |
1,210,707 |
147,104 |
12.2% |
21.5% |
31.9% |
48% |
|
Hispanic, |
272,236 |
27,588 |
10.1% |
4.8% |
6.0% |
24% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Age |
592,803 |
48,331 |
8.2% |
10.6% |
10.5% |
|
|
Age |
1,350,860 |
100,437 |
7.4% |
24.0% |
21.8% |
|
|
Age |
2,499,478 |
162,772 |
6.5% |
44.5% |
35.3% |
|
|
Age |
1,108,107 |
148,988 |
13.4% |
19.7% |
32.4% |
64% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Men |
2,531,811 |
162,640 |
6.4% |
45.1% |
35.3% |
|
|
Women |
3,037,121 |
290,521 |
9.6% |
54.1% |
63.1% |
17% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Republicans |
1,784,608 |
111,665 |
6.3% |
31.8% |
24.2% |
|
|
Democrats |
2,513,385 |
266,269 |
10.6% |
44.7% |
57.8% |
29% |
|
Unaffiliated |
1,310,602 |
82,140 |
6.3% |
23.3% |
17.8% |
|
You need to adjust your data to remove those who have had their drivers license revoked or suspended. Those people are convicted felons who are prohibited by law from voting.
Not true, Frank — at all. Ex-felons can vote once thy have completed their sentences and any probation and have re-registered to vote. And you can have your license revoked for reasons other than a felony.
You keep posting here about voter ID: are you going to pay for everyone’s IDs? How about the training of new pollworkers? Because I do not want MY tax money going to this unneeded bill.
You’ve yet to answer how you can justify spending millions on a non-existent problem — there is no voter ID fraud! Why would you want to spend money on a non-problem when the state needs money for REAL problems? Are you saying we should raise taxes to pay for this?
Alan,
The data presented here does not account for people who have had their drivers license revoked or suspended. If you look at the list of reasons for revoking or suspending a license, it’s for committing a crime and as such are felons. The data is therefore flawed.
There is no additional cost to providing voter IDs to those who are eligible to vote and don’t have a drivers license. How much does it cost to get your drivers license? You can use the same infrastructure that is in place to issue voter IDs to those who want them. Don’t worry about your tax money going to this bill.
What makes you say voter fraud is nonexistant? Have you ever heard of a group called ACORN? Voter fraud is a problem and therefore I don’t want to make sure that my vote counts. You don’t regard the sanctity of the voting booth as important as cashing a check? When you cash a check, you are required to show a picture ID, aren’t you? Gasp, it’s a conspiracy!
Here are instructions on how voters can get a photo id without a drivers license.
http://www.ehow.com/info_8021082_forms-north-carolina-picture-id.html
Mr Burns –
Every document, including the ID card, costs money to obtain. Poor people cannot afford this expenditure. In addition, people who are homeless cannot provide proof of residency because they have none. Yet they are entitled to vote.
The cost is $10 for this ID. I reckon even the poor people can afford this cost but if not, the state should cover it as insurance against voter fraud. That’s a small price to pay. Nobody is saying that they are not entitled to vote, just show proof on who they are just like everybody else. We have a democracy here in this country, there are no “special people”.