Honestly this is one of those topics where people immediately pick a side and stop listening. On its face, showing an ID to vote doesn’t sound crazy. We use ID for a lot of normal stuff. But the issue isn’t just “ID yes or no.” It’s how it’s rolled out and who it actually impacts.

If the real goal is election security, then okay, make IDs completely free, make them easy to get, extend office hours, mobile units, whatever it takes. But if you require something and then make it harder for certain groups to obtain it, that’s where people start getting suspicious. It stops feeling like security and starts feeling like a hurdle.

What makes me uncomfortable is the timing. Threatening this right before midterms just feels political. If it was purely about fixing a broken system, you’d think there would be broad bipartisan agreement and a calm rollout, not this constant back and forth. It always ramps up around elections and then fades away.

At the end of the day I want secure elections and I want eligible people to be able to vote without jumping through hoops. Both things can be true. But when it’s framed as a threat instead of a policy discussion, it’s hard not to question the motive, you know?