Voting is a right, not a privilege
I understand that the idea of voter identification laws is to stop voter fraud. However, that is not the result of the laws.
When voter ID laws are written, they state that voters must have a government-issued ID (diver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID). This seems reasonable and would guarantee that only U.S. citizens vote. But all (with the exception of the military ID) cost money. It is a fee one must pay to vote. That fee to vote is prohibited by the 24th Amendment which makes a fee to vote (known as a poll tax) unconstitutional.
Voting is a right, not a privilege. Voting is a duty of every citizen and a responsibility that they should take seriously. It is also a free right. We don’t have to pay a fee to enjoy a right. If governments want voter ID laws, then issue free voter ID cards. But then you run the risk of having a U.S. government ID card, and that would fly in the face of every conservative ideologue who wants voter ID laws!
John F. Seybold, Fresno
This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Voting is a right, not a privilege."