
90 Second Summaries: Season 2, Episode 28 Spotlight on the States: The Voter ID Act ALEC model legislation -- adopted July 17, 2009 More info at bit.ly Status: Versions introduced in at least 33 states. As of 11/10/11, 14 states have photo ID requirements in place. Purpose: The 2008 electorate that launched Barack Obama to the White House was more than just the highest election turnout in more than 60 years. It represented the emergence of a new Democratic coalition, one comprised primarily of racial and ethnic minorities, low-income Americans, liberals, young voters and women. At the time, forecasts of demographic change and shifting views on social issues led to speculation that Republicans were on the verge of becoming a permanent minority party. Shortly after President Obama's election, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) began to prioritize efforts to chip away at the influence of this coalition. featuring a cover story entitled "Preventing Election Fraud" in its widely-read newsletter. ALEC and its allies invoked the specter of voter fraud to justify a series of measures designed to erect barriers to voting among Democratic-leaning demographic groups. The Voter ID Act, adopted by ALEC's Public Safety and Elections Task Force in summer 2009, is the most prominent of those measures. Summary: The Voter ID Act requires voters to present a photo ID in order to cast a ballot. Specifically, it: • Defines "proof of identity" as a federal or state-issued photo <b>...</b>
ALEC
ALEC Exposed
Voter ID
Voter ID Act
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