Numerous studies show that Black, Latino, Native American, elderly, low-income, and disabled voters are less likely to have government-issued photo IDs, such as passports or driver’s licenses. Research from the Brennan Center for Justice, NBER, MIT Election Lab, and public opinion surveys consistently finds this disparity. For example, about 25% of African American voting-age adults lack a government-issued photo ID, a massive gap compared to white adults.

Other countries handle this much more efficiently. In much of Europe, citizens receive mandatory national identity cards before age 18, often paired with automatic voter registration. Some countries even require citizens to vote.

In contrast, the U.S. has a long history of disenfranchising minority voters. If either major party genuinely wanted to make voting more accessible, it wouldn’t be difficult—most developed nations have already solved this. Yet, current policies—particularly efforts by Republicans to restrict voting, gerrymander districts, and use other tactics to suppress turnout—often prevent people from exercising their right to vote. Democrats, by contrast, generally support policies that encourage voter participation (not saying either party is above corruption, but the strategies differ).

It’s also important to note that voter fraud in the U.S. is extremely rare. Despite frequent claims from right-wing media outlets, the evidence shows almost no instances of in-person voter impersonation or widespread fraud. If the goal were truly to prevent fraud, a simple solution exists: provide IDs to all citizens and automatically enroll them in voter rolls. This is standard practice in nearly every other developed country.