The Marshall Project voter ID newsletter

Donate This week's art is by Frank Blazquez. Full work below. View in browser By Geoff Hing The Marshall Project is currently running a community survey and we want your feedback. By answering a few brief questions, you can help us plan for our future and make sure we’re planning with your needs in mind, not just our own ideas. What do you say? Will you take the survey now? Arizona is one of a half dozen states with voter ID measures on the upcoming November ballot. The state-level push echoes proposed federal legislation championed by President Donald Trump that would have required showing a passport, or a birth certificate and government-issued photo identification in person to register to vote. That federal bill, which would have also required photo ID to cast a ballot, ultimately failed to pass in the Senate. Arizona’s proposal, similar to other state-level ballot measures, aims to enshrine existing ID requirements into the state constitution. In-person voting in Arizona already requires a photo ID. Voters will consider expanding this requirement to include by-mail voting. National polls show broad support for requiring photo ID to vote — for many Americans, requiring proof of who you are in order to vote or to obtain government-issued identification, like a driver’s license, is reasonable. But voting-rights advocates warn that the strictest ID laws demand types of ID that many people do not have, restricting a fundamental right. For unhoused people, especially those facing criminal charges or who have just gotten out of prison or jail, obtaining identification and other supporting documents can be daunting. It can become a barrier not only to voting, but also to accessing housing, healthcare and employment. John Greenwood lost his ID during a move from California to Tucson to be closer to his family. Since then, his housing has been precarious, sometimes staying with friends, other times in a hotel. Greenwood said he is currently homeless and is trying to get an Arizona ID, which he needs to secure an apartment. Without an ID, he said, “It’s hard, you can’t do anything.” In Arizona, someone getting a driver’s license or state ID for the first time must present documents that verify their identity and residency. But many unhoused people lack these supporting documents. On top of that, Arizona’s motor vehicle division only delivers permanent IDs by mail. Before applying for an ID, an unhoused person would need to use a family member’s address or coordinate with a service provider that helps people without a physical address to actually receive the ID and other mail. When Aaron Argast entered a Tucson shelter, he was happy to be in a sober, communal environment and off the streets, where sleeping outside risked an arrest that could violate his probation. He said staff gave him a checklist of requirements for staying long-term in the shelter. Among them was getting a driver’s license or state ID. Argast said the shelter expected him to get an ID in a few days. If Argast had ever had an Arizona driver’s license or state ID, it would’ve been straightforward to get a replacement. But since he’d never had one, he first needed to prove his identity with a document such as a birth certificate or passport. For many people, this becomes a Catch-22: To get the birth certificate needed for an ID, they must request a certificate from the state where they were born. But some states require a government-issued photo ID, like a driver’s license, to issue a birth certificate. In part because of those kinds of situations, and because getting an ID can be a condition of some shelters and court programs, some advocates for the rights of homeless people believe it’s important for government officials and service providers to recognize that getting an ID can take a while, and that there should be a way for a person to get help and services while they're untangling their ID situation. Service organizations are beginning to offer s