As a member of the League of Women Voters, I can tell you, my student voter registration will be shut down by this EO. I register students at 17-1/2 (they can’t vote until 18) at my 5 local high schools, and there is no way they will have the docs with them to register. That’s the point!
My neighbor can’t prove her name change because her marriage license is from IL and has a wet stamp, but MO requires a crimped one. That’s the point!
All of the reasons listed in the article. That’s the point!
It is voter suppression!
There has never been voter fraud to justify these restrictions, only bigotry, racism, and misogyny.
Good guys make it easier to vote. We know who makes it harder.
This is not the first time we have had to fight for our right to vote. It took white women over 100 years. It took Black women even longer. We know how to do this.
Just a side note, Gina. If you were registering kids in the LSHS cafeteria at any point between 2001 and 2021...I guarantee that our paths crossed. Keep up the good fight!
I wrote this before I knew Mark F-erberg took down Heather Cox Richardson from fb.
Oh, Hell, No!
I was already planning to bring a sign to the April 5 Hands Off demonstration, but I was going to bring the one my 9yo helped me make the day Roe fell, a longtime fav, bc I didn’t think I had time to make a new one.
I will Make Time! One side will have Hands Off Voting Rights. The other will say Hands Off Heather Cox Richardson!
Absolutely wild that, despite every shred of evidence to the contrary, people actually thought they were voting for "free speech" with this administration 🙃
Love your sign ideas! I think it's going to be a popular theme for signs here at the Maine protests as well.
He took down HCR? OMFG. I left Meta around the time of the inauguration, so I'm out of the loop on a lot of what happens there now. That.is.infuriating!!!!
Her stuff keeps disappearing, or it's only visible to some people but not everyone (and not HCR). Not an outright ban but almost certainly shadowbanning. People started noticing and documenting that, and she confirmed it on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social/post/3llrboir6es22
I hear you about Meta, but it's unfortunately a disgust that I have to swallow: living in a small town, Facebook is the only place where local politics get discussed and it would quickly become an echo chamber of misinformation if thoughtful folks didn't stick around and stay engaged. I do hate the chokehold that Meta (and particularly Facebook) have on digital community for the less-engaged.
As someone who works on voting day at the polls, this infuriates me. People who make these claims and try to add citizenship laws have no clue how voting works. These laws are nothing more than a blatant attempt to remain in power and keep people from exercising their right to vote.
IDs are checked at every polling station, the records are kept very tight and if you aren’t in the system you get found out quickly. Mail in, is the same, and when all is said and done ballot’s are check again and any discrepancy is noted and referred to a special election bipartisan committee.
Go work in your local precinct to see how an election works. You will likely, be surprised.
This is an attack on all but especially on women’s voting rights. They are the ones who primarily change their names. Project 2025 believes husbands have authority over women and should be the primary voters too! It’s unconscionable that my daughters and granddaughters may have to jump through so many hoops for the right to vote when it’s been a given all of my life as an American citizen.
IDs are not checked at every polling station. That seems to vary by state. When I lived in VA I had to show my ID before I voted. Here in NY, we do not. They do ask for your address and your signature, but showing your ID is voluntary and they can’t ask for it. I don’t know what the solution should be, but I agree this EO isn’t it.
Hi, Tania. I’m a NYC poll worker and the checks and balances involved in making sure every person who votes is legally registered is extensive. The board of elections issues electronic “fast pass” cards to every registered voter but the voter still must state their address which is then verified in the electronic poll book. If it doesn’t matched, they are offered an affidavit which is later hand verified by the Secretary of State for NY. They are also required to sign the e-poll book and if that signature doesn’t match the signature on file from their registration, then an affidavit is offered and the same verification happens later. I could type 10 pages about how the actual votes are counted and transported but trust when I tell you it’s astonishing how secure NY elections really are. I had no clue going into my training and every election I work makes me feel better about our system.
That’s my plan!!! Every year I’ve tried…I’ve ended up with a newborn on election day! Lol! But we are done having babies now - so time to become a poll worker!! Looking forward to it!
I get it - some folks are really worried about voter fraud, and I hate the idea that they're losing sleep over this issue, so let's make a deal. We can have these citizenship verification requirements, but only if we're actually serious about election integrity rather than just making it harder to vote.
That means we need fully funded mobile passport offices visiting every neighborhood, especially in rural and underserved areas. Free passport processing for everyone. Automatic citizenship verification systems at every DMV and post office.
We need a huge federal hiring spree so that government workers can go door-to-door helping elderly Americans born before standardized birth certificates locate their documentation. Translation services for naturalized citizens needing help with paperwork. And all of this needs to be in place BEFORE any new voting restrictions take effect. After all, if the concern is truly about fraud and not about suppressing votes, we should be willing to spend whatever it takes to ensure every eligible American can easily meet these new requirements, right?
And maybe while we're revamping our voting systems, we could also implement other reforms people actually want - making Election Day a national holiday, guaranteeing early voting nationwide, ensuring adequate polling locations in all communities, and implementing automatic voter registration. Funny how those popular ideas never seem to be part of these "election integrity" packages.
I'm all for secure elections, but the order's supporters should put their money where their mouth is by funding solutions that guarantee every eligible voter remains enfranchised.
But I also care about keeping a balanced budget, so perhaps there should be a requirement that any restrictive law can only pass if there's been documented proof that it would have changed the outcome of an election in the past that resulted in someone who wouldn't have won without voter fraud. Otherwise, we're spending millions on a solution in search of a problem while creating very real barriers for legitimate voters.
Go to the Brennan Center for Justice website to see their exhaustive analysis of just about every study ever done on noncitizen voting in the U.S. In their words it is “vanishingly rare,” as in, almost never happens. Everyone knows this. But Trump has been lying so long about election fraud and immigrants that he is forced to take action. We never will but I would love to see a final number of what this stupid executive order will cost the states and federal government in fighting lawsuits, flailing around with new procedures, confusing election workers and voters and undoing it all when it’s declared unconstitutional. Such a waste that you’d think DOGE would take a chain saw to this whole moronic effort before it even got started. And by the way, it shouldn’t matter if MAGA people are impacted as much or more than married women, the poor, disabled people, the elderly or minorities. Illegally suppressing the votes of any of us should matter to all of us. And a shout out to all you cheese heads in Wisconsin yesterday for giving Trump and Musk a painful kick in their collective fannies. Well done and let this be just the beginning of our return to sanity.
I am so tired of that lie about noncitizen voting. I wrote my Rep. Jeff Hurd and he responded with the usual crap that illegal immigrants are voting to gain political favor. I asked him for proof and I know he will never respond. Everyone get out and protest for the Hands Off! National Day of Action on April 5th!
Yes. Sadly one party tends to vote to protect and expand rights for ~everyone~ while one side seems to only care about themselves and wants to limit rights for everyone else*
*whoever Trump deems responsible for whatever imagined/ hyperbolic infraction he thinks will rile up his base
Ironically, Wisconsin voters approved enshrining the photo ID requirement into law by a greater margin than Crawford’s victory, clearly indicating bipartisan support.
Yes, like many people, Wisconsinites are not immune to the nefarious effects of the myth of voter fraud and voted to keep their voter ID law that they’ve had on the books for many years. Hope you’re working on your list of reasons why so many people are happy with their vote for Trump!
Alternatively, it's almost like people do care about basic voting protections. Obtaining an ID is a reasonable expectation for participating in elections, especially since IDs are required for many everyday activities. And no, this is not an endorsement of Trump's EO.
Why is it a basic observation must always be met with snark and vitriol from you, Kate?
Because, like many people in America, I feel like our country’s long-held, basic values are being absolutely shredded and I’d like to know why people like you thinks it’s a good thing. Personally, I feel like the time, effort, expense and difficulty involved for states, local election boards and just regular people in trying to navigate the myriad of voter ID laws is completely out of proportion to the amount of verified voter fraud that has occurred in our elections. It is a draconian solution in search of a problem and mostly a result of Republican lies regarding election integrity and a way to soothe the bruised ego of the narcissistic buffoon who can never admit he lost.
I saw multiple comments today to the effect of, "Sure they won the Supreme Court seat but with the Voter ID law* now the Dems are never going to win an election again!"
*Yes, the law that already existed. They're fully convinced that the only way Democrats ever win elections is through cheating. It's concerning, to say the least.
Ha, ha, no. The DMs I get are almost all along the lines of thank you for saying what I wasn't quite brave enough to say or didn't have the words to say. But I am getting really tired of some people's victimization act. You are subscribers on a substack dedicated to history, facts, democracy, good governance, etc. and yet some people are shocked and appalled when others are so passionate about the destruction of democracy that is taking place in front of our very eyes and about the cruel and inhumane damage that is being done to people all over the world. I will admit I'm hardest on people who try to justify all of this by saying things that are not true because that's how we got to this point in the first place. But go ahead, report away if it makes you feel better.
I’d ask you why is it that you regularly choose to engage with Kate in the comments if you believe she’ll just respond with snark and vitriol. Sort of seems to me like you like the fight. There’s plenty of us here you can choose to chat with if Kate doesn’t meet your requirements…
Well said. Those same thoughts were going through my head while I was reading this article. The party that supposedly is for less federal government and more state rights has now all of a sudden switched positions where they want more oversight and more federal intervention. Makes no sense to me. I don’t think I’m a republican anymore and I’m not a democrat. Not too sure what I am. Anyway, thanks for your comments.
Welcome to The Middle! It's a weird place, but satisfying. Although, these days I can't find anything happening on the right I support, so I'm functionally a democrat anyway. With the two party system, it's impossible not to end up siding with one or the other, but taking away the label makes it much easier to question whether I really believe something or whether I am just being led by my affiliation.
I think that makes you part of the majority, honestly! Most of us seem pretty disgusted with both parties. I only registered as Dem so I could vote in the primaries.
It is interesting that the Dept of Ed is being dismantled because education should be "handled by the states" (which it already is) but he is attempting to take over control of elections which are clearly meant to be run by the states.
I am an election worker in South Carolina. Our drivers licenses do not show that you are a citizen, however they do have a special indicator that show that you are NOT a citizen. All of things in this proposal would make it so much harder for South Carolinians to vote and attempt to solve a problem that does not exist.
My frustration with voting regulations is that it’s so hard to message for the democrats. It requires a baseline understanding of voting systems, which so few Americans have. It’s complicated! The right can simply say “fraud”, “illegals”, and people shrug and say “oh yeah I want safe elections”. Meanwhile we’re literally being disenfranchised, the most dangerous thing that can happen to a democracy.
So true! The majority of people won't dig any deeper than, "There is widespread voter fraud by illegal immigrants, so we are doing something about it." Talk about fake news.
If I’m reading this article correctly, wouldn’t this impact GOP voters more than democrats? Rural elderly voters and Hispanics voted Trump, no? I’d also imagine a lot of Trump voters who live in these rural areas don’t have a passport. My Republican in laws have traveled out of state maybe 5 times in their life and never out of the country. From what I’ve seen, Democrats are more likely to move around often and travel the world so would have updated documents
Maybe the central piece of this is the Musk team/current Federal government getting access to all the voting machines…. and all the rest is distraction? Total con game. 😬
I don’t understand the logic why they created the law so most real IDs will not work. You have to prove citizenship to get the real ID but because it doesn’t show citizenship on it, no good. I actually made a passport appt a couple weeks back because I find all of this pure insanity. I hope they lose in the courts quickly!
Great points, but you do not have to be a citizen to get a real ID. For example, green card holders can get Real IDs (in CA at least). I’ve helped newly arrived refugees get them and they cannot legally vote.
This whole EO is giving Professor Umbridge vibes and all the “proclamations” she makes don’t do anything to actually make anyone safer or better educated. But are just a smokescreen for suppression and ultimately purging certain types of kids from the school. For the uninitiated, you can go read book 5 or watch the movie.
My daughter is reading the Order of the Phoenix right now, and I swear, I was getting trauma responses just reading some of the Umbridge passages with her. Even though I grew up reading these books, it sure hits different now.
This is all ridiculous. And I can’t believe a birth certificate isn’t valid proof of citizenship?? And some documents are really hard to come by. What if your parents weren’t responsible with your documentation? I had to order my own birth certificate because of that. Or people who lose things as a result of natural disasters? It sounds like a very slippery slope. Also looks like I’ll be getting my enhanced real ID I guess *sigh*
Not to mention the cost associated with obtaining these documents. I’m certain $165 passport fee is out of reach for many people or even a $40 replacement birth certificate. Can we say Poll tax?
Exactly! I almost want to start a crowdfunding project to help people pay for it if this goes into effect. People shouldn’t be turned away from voting because they cannot afford documents.
We also have to talk about the time constraints of obtaining these documents. Passport appointments typically happen only during a standard work day, so many people are not going to be able to leave work to take care of it. And each location has a limited number of appointments, so does anyone want to guess how many weeks/months it would take to even get the appointment? And how much extra work is this going make for post office staff? It is going to be a gigantic mess.
My parents have been in the process of getting both their REAL IDs and their passports (they prefer the REAL IDs for domestic travel and have multiple trips booked this coming year). It has been *busy* already with the REAL ID requirement coming up soon, and both of them have had to take hours off from work, travel to different towns, and forked over a good amount of money, and of course those documents themselves take time to process. Any slight hiccup with your paperwork will cause delays and require yet more effort; my mom had to try for the REAL ID *twice* because she didn't have adequate documentation of her married name change the first time (and now she gets to help my dad because he also legally changed his name as an adult). My mom's mom was an immigrant, which was an extra layer of documentation needed (the forms ask if your parents were citizens or not) and I don't know, but I have to imagine that all of this is complicated if you yourself are an immigrant.
Is it worth the effort? Sure! Is it an understandable amount of effort? Kinda! But it is still a big effort even for folks with the free time, money, and intellectual/physical abilities to get through this easily.
That is nuts! I still haven't gotten a Real ID. When it was announced, I was really annoyed by all of the requirements and basically have just refused to do it on principle. I figured that I have a passport, and I will use that. It seemed redundant to me and a lot of extra work. I do see the benefit, like you mentioned for ease of domestic travel though. I am also in a state that has the Enhanced ID which is what my mom got.
I personally opted to just get a passport and use it for both domestic and international, but my parents don't feel as comfortable carrying their passports around if they don't need to, so I understand their perspective as well!
My brother lives in Kentucky and got his REAL ID a couple years ago. He says it has been *nothing* but frustrating every time he's flown domestically. Something about his picture on the ID not 'matching' when they scan his face biometrically? He basically has to budget an extra 20-30 minutes at each flight check-in and he's considering just getting a passport to see if that would be easier! So all that to say, these documents are kind of a pain in the patooty to both obtain and to use.
Aside from the unconstitutionality of this whole thing… I feel like it is unnecessary. Until there is evidence of widespread voter fraud being an issue (legitimate evidence not just accusations and rhetoric) all this is is a waste of money (coming from the crowd that constantly shouts “fraud! Waste! Abuse!”) and make it much more difficult for eligible voters to make their voices heard.
However, MAGA will brush it away because as long as they feel they are punishing someone for perceived and imagined wrongs the ends justify the means, even when it means hurting decent people. (And in some cases cheering for their very own demise without realizing it. I’m almost certain my dad has no passport or his birth certificate, so despite being a rural USA born and raised Trump voter he would likely no longer be able to vote)
I've voted by mail in the last four elections as I've moved around to different military bases with my husband (once from overseas). Every time I vote, my state has new forms or different deadlines I have to research, different ballot requests/return instructions, etc. There is usually an issue (or three) that I end up having to call the Absentee Election Manager or Secretary of State about so that I can properly submit my vote. And every year, I've had to submit ID information and I believe even military order information for a ballot request one time in order to prove that I was not in the local area to vote. To think that someone would put in that level of effort and leave such a paper trail and do so while being a non citizen is just absurd. Their election fraud claims are not about fraud or true concerns about non citizen voting. It is a cover to disenfranchise voters.
Beyone the plethora od illegalities and disenfranchisement you shared, wouldn't this likely impact those more likely to vote for Trump (and those loyal to him) as well? (Based on polling data from the 2024 presidential election)
I just posted a similar comment! Which is fine by me if Trump wants to silence his voters. I feel bad for them as no one should have their voice silence but if Trump wants to eliminate MAGA… go for it lol
That's the kinda weird thing about it huh... But I don't think people are necessarily enraged for the partisan unfairness as they are that this is such a blatant attempt to silence more legal voters than it prevents illegal voters. But maybe the chaos that this would bring to the voting process would benefit anyone who can't win elections fair and square, so perhaps that's the strategy. Make it so chaotic and unreliable that you can convince voters that the results are just a matter of interpretation.
I personally believe these EOs are written specifically to address things that Trump has already committed himself—fraud. Because it’s something he would do himself, he signs these things so that no one can turn around and do it to him. It’s literally ALL projection.
I'm not sure it matters if it's unconstitutional. It will take time for it to wend through the courts, and midterm elections are less than 2 years away. The point is to disenfranchise three poor, women, people with lower mobility, and people of color. Assuming you have all the documents to get a sufficient ID, you still have to show up to a government building during business hours and wait to get an application filled. If you work during those hours and you're one of the many Americans who don't have access to paid leave, that's a huge burden. And if you don't have one, then you have to get a certified copy, which is not free and can take weeks to get if you can't go in person, and requires proof of identity... If you don't already have a driver's license.... And then, in most states, you have to wait till your ID comes. People are going to have to start NOW to be able to vote in the midterms. Good luck to all those first time voters, who are 16 or 17 now and might not be able to get the right ID. Also, and I've been saying this for years - ladies, especially - don't change your name legally. Use a married name for social settings if you must, but don't legally change your name.
As a member of the League of Women Voters, I can tell you, my student voter registration will be shut down by this EO. I register students at 17-1/2 (they can’t vote until 18) at my 5 local high schools, and there is no way they will have the docs with them to register. That’s the point!
My neighbor can’t prove her name change because her marriage license is from IL and has a wet stamp, but MO requires a crimped one. That’s the point!
All of the reasons listed in the article. That’s the point!
It is voter suppression!
There has never been voter fraud to justify these restrictions, only bigotry, racism, and misogyny.
Good guys make it easier to vote. We know who makes it harder.
This is not the first time we have had to fight for our right to vote. It took white women over 100 years. It took Black women even longer. We know how to do this.
And we will do this!
See you in the streets, Governerds!
“There has never been voter fraud to justify these restrictions, only bigotry, racism, and misogyny.
Good guys make it easier to vote. We know who makes it harder.” 🎯
Well said!! Keep fighting the good fight; see you on the front lines. 👊🇺🇸🔥
Just a side note, Gina. If you were registering kids in the LSHS cafeteria at any point between 2001 and 2021...I guarantee that our paths crossed. Keep up the good fight!
Cool! Unfortunately, not that long ago, but Go Tigers!
I so appreciate the LWV. Thank you for your work.
Thank you! Voting Rights are the Mother of all Rights.
Oooh I’m going to look into my local League of Women voters. That feels like potentially exactly what I need to feel like I’m in the game here!
They will be so happy to have you! They do so many good things: registering voters, get out the vote, candidate forums, voter education.
Me too!
Yep! Agreed
I wrote this before I knew Mark F-erberg took down Heather Cox Richardson from fb.
Oh, Hell, No!
I was already planning to bring a sign to the April 5 Hands Off demonstration, but I was going to bring the one my 9yo helped me make the day Roe fell, a longtime fav, bc I didn’t think I had time to make a new one.
I will Make Time! One side will have Hands Off Voting Rights. The other will say Hands Off Heather Cox Richardson!
Governerds, Assemble!
Absolutely wild that, despite every shred of evidence to the contrary, people actually thought they were voting for "free speech" with this administration 🙃
Love your sign ideas! I think it's going to be a popular theme for signs here at the Maine protests as well.
He took down HCR? OMFG. I left Meta around the time of the inauguration, so I'm out of the loop on a lot of what happens there now. That.is.infuriating!!!!
Her stuff keeps disappearing, or it's only visible to some people but not everyone (and not HCR). Not an outright ban but almost certainly shadowbanning. People started noticing and documenting that, and she confirmed it on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social/post/3llrboir6es22
Thank you for the details! I heard (on bluesky, actually) during Cory Booker's speech that they were taking down posts about that as well.
Meta disgusts me. It does feel a bit alienating to no longer be using their products, but I am certainly happier for it.
I hear you about Meta, but it's unfortunately a disgust that I have to swallow: living in a small town, Facebook is the only place where local politics get discussed and it would quickly become an echo chamber of misinformation if thoughtful folks didn't stick around and stay engaged. I do hate the chokehold that Meta (and particularly Facebook) have on digital community for the less-engaged.
Bless you, Emily! I am sure you make those spaces a better place too.
As someone who works on voting day at the polls, this infuriates me. People who make these claims and try to add citizenship laws have no clue how voting works. These laws are nothing more than a blatant attempt to remain in power and keep people from exercising their right to vote.
IDs are checked at every polling station, the records are kept very tight and if you aren’t in the system you get found out quickly. Mail in, is the same, and when all is said and done ballot’s are check again and any discrepancy is noted and referred to a special election bipartisan committee.
Go work in your local precinct to see how an election works. You will likely, be surprised.
This is an attack on all but especially on women’s voting rights. They are the ones who primarily change their names. Project 2025 believes husbands have authority over women and should be the primary voters too! It’s unconscionable that my daughters and granddaughters may have to jump through so many hoops for the right to vote when it’s been a given all of my life as an American citizen.
IDs are not checked at every polling station. That seems to vary by state. When I lived in VA I had to show my ID before I voted. Here in NY, we do not. They do ask for your address and your signature, but showing your ID is voluntary and they can’t ask for it. I don’t know what the solution should be, but I agree this EO isn’t it.
Thank you for volunteering at the polls!
Hi, Tania. I’m a NYC poll worker and the checks and balances involved in making sure every person who votes is legally registered is extensive. The board of elections issues electronic “fast pass” cards to every registered voter but the voter still must state their address which is then verified in the electronic poll book. If it doesn’t matched, they are offered an affidavit which is later hand verified by the Secretary of State for NY. They are also required to sign the e-poll book and if that signature doesn’t match the signature on file from their registration, then an affidavit is offered and the same verification happens later. I could type 10 pages about how the actual votes are counted and transported but trust when I tell you it’s astonishing how secure NY elections really are. I had no clue going into my training and every election I work makes me feel better about our system.
That’s my plan!!! Every year I’ve tried…I’ve ended up with a newborn on election day! Lol! But we are done having babies now - so time to become a poll worker!! Looking forward to it!
I get it - some folks are really worried about voter fraud, and I hate the idea that they're losing sleep over this issue, so let's make a deal. We can have these citizenship verification requirements, but only if we're actually serious about election integrity rather than just making it harder to vote.
That means we need fully funded mobile passport offices visiting every neighborhood, especially in rural and underserved areas. Free passport processing for everyone. Automatic citizenship verification systems at every DMV and post office.
We need a huge federal hiring spree so that government workers can go door-to-door helping elderly Americans born before standardized birth certificates locate their documentation. Translation services for naturalized citizens needing help with paperwork. And all of this needs to be in place BEFORE any new voting restrictions take effect. After all, if the concern is truly about fraud and not about suppressing votes, we should be willing to spend whatever it takes to ensure every eligible American can easily meet these new requirements, right?
And maybe while we're revamping our voting systems, we could also implement other reforms people actually want - making Election Day a national holiday, guaranteeing early voting nationwide, ensuring adequate polling locations in all communities, and implementing automatic voter registration. Funny how those popular ideas never seem to be part of these "election integrity" packages.
I'm all for secure elections, but the order's supporters should put their money where their mouth is by funding solutions that guarantee every eligible voter remains enfranchised.
But I also care about keeping a balanced budget, so perhaps there should be a requirement that any restrictive law can only pass if there's been documented proof that it would have changed the outcome of an election in the past that resulted in someone who wouldn't have won without voter fraud. Otherwise, we're spending millions on a solution in search of a problem while creating very real barriers for legitimate voters.
I agree 1,000,000 %!!!!!!! 🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼
I couldn't agree with this more. Perfectly said.
YESSSSSSSS!!!!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Go to the Brennan Center for Justice website to see their exhaustive analysis of just about every study ever done on noncitizen voting in the U.S. In their words it is “vanishingly rare,” as in, almost never happens. Everyone knows this. But Trump has been lying so long about election fraud and immigrants that he is forced to take action. We never will but I would love to see a final number of what this stupid executive order will cost the states and federal government in fighting lawsuits, flailing around with new procedures, confusing election workers and voters and undoing it all when it’s declared unconstitutional. Such a waste that you’d think DOGE would take a chain saw to this whole moronic effort before it even got started. And by the way, it shouldn’t matter if MAGA people are impacted as much or more than married women, the poor, disabled people, the elderly or minorities. Illegally suppressing the votes of any of us should matter to all of us. And a shout out to all you cheese heads in Wisconsin yesterday for giving Trump and Musk a painful kick in their collective fannies. Well done and let this be just the beginning of our return to sanity.
I am so tired of that lie about noncitizen voting. I wrote my Rep. Jeff Hurd and he responded with the usual crap that illegal immigrants are voting to gain political favor. I asked him for proof and I know he will never respond. Everyone get out and protest for the Hands Off! National Day of Action on April 5th!
Waving hi from another of Hurd’s constituents😊
And to be absolutely clear, I did not vote for him!! Or Trump!!
Yes. Sadly one party tends to vote to protect and expand rights for ~everyone~ while one side seems to only care about themselves and wants to limit rights for everyone else*
*whoever Trump deems responsible for whatever imagined/ hyperbolic infraction he thinks will rile up his base
Ironically, Wisconsin voters approved enshrining the photo ID requirement into law by a greater margin than Crawford’s victory, clearly indicating bipartisan support.
You’ll note the WI voter ID law is much less strict than Trump’s EO. I’d imagine if Trump’s EO was put up for a vote, it’d be far less popular.
Yes, like many people, Wisconsinites are not immune to the nefarious effects of the myth of voter fraud and voted to keep their voter ID law that they’ve had on the books for many years. Hope you’re working on your list of reasons why so many people are happy with their vote for Trump!
Alternatively, it's almost like people do care about basic voting protections. Obtaining an ID is a reasonable expectation for participating in elections, especially since IDs are required for many everyday activities. And no, this is not an endorsement of Trump's EO.
Why is it a basic observation must always be met with snark and vitriol from you, Kate?
Because, like many people in America, I feel like our country’s long-held, basic values are being absolutely shredded and I’d like to know why people like you thinks it’s a good thing. Personally, I feel like the time, effort, expense and difficulty involved for states, local election boards and just regular people in trying to navigate the myriad of voter ID laws is completely out of proportion to the amount of verified voter fraud that has occurred in our elections. It is a draconian solution in search of a problem and mostly a result of Republican lies regarding election integrity and a way to soothe the bruised ego of the narcissistic buffoon who can never admit he lost.
I saw multiple comments today to the effect of, "Sure they won the Supreme Court seat but with the Voter ID law* now the Dems are never going to win an election again!"
*Yes, the law that already existed. They're fully convinced that the only way Democrats ever win elections is through cheating. It's concerning, to say the least.
Thank you, Kate.
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you, Kate. Did you also get DMs from people in these comments threads telling you they are reporting you for bullying? Because I did. LOL
Who's the snowflake now?
Ha, ha, no. The DMs I get are almost all along the lines of thank you for saying what I wasn't quite brave enough to say or didn't have the words to say. But I am getting really tired of some people's victimization act. You are subscribers on a substack dedicated to history, facts, democracy, good governance, etc. and yet some people are shocked and appalled when others are so passionate about the destruction of democracy that is taking place in front of our very eyes and about the cruel and inhumane damage that is being done to people all over the world. I will admit I'm hardest on people who try to justify all of this by saying things that are not true because that's how we got to this point in the first place. But go ahead, report away if it makes you feel better.
I’d ask you why is it that you regularly choose to engage with Kate in the comments if you believe she’ll just respond with snark and vitriol. Sort of seems to me like you like the fight. There’s plenty of us here you can choose to chat with if Kate doesn’t meet your requirements…
Who would have guessed? The party of states' rights trying to take away states' rights...
Well said. Those same thoughts were going through my head while I was reading this article. The party that supposedly is for less federal government and more state rights has now all of a sudden switched positions where they want more oversight and more federal intervention. Makes no sense to me. I don’t think I’m a republican anymore and I’m not a democrat. Not too sure what I am. Anyway, thanks for your comments.
Welcome to The Middle! It's a weird place, but satisfying. Although, these days I can't find anything happening on the right I support, so I'm functionally a democrat anyway. With the two party system, it's impossible not to end up siding with one or the other, but taking away the label makes it much easier to question whether I really believe something or whether I am just being led by my affiliation.
I think that makes you part of the majority, honestly! Most of us seem pretty disgusted with both parties. I only registered as Dem so I could vote in the primaries.
Consistent principles? Sounds really inconvenient. I prefer to have my cake and eat it too.
It is interesting that the Dept of Ed is being dismantled because education should be "handled by the states" (which it already is) but he is attempting to take over control of elections which are clearly meant to be run by the states.
I am an election worker in South Carolina. Our drivers licenses do not show that you are a citizen, however they do have a special indicator that show that you are NOT a citizen. All of things in this proposal would make it so much harder for South Carolinians to vote and attempt to solve a problem that does not exist.
My frustration with voting regulations is that it’s so hard to message for the democrats. It requires a baseline understanding of voting systems, which so few Americans have. It’s complicated! The right can simply say “fraud”, “illegals”, and people shrug and say “oh yeah I want safe elections”. Meanwhile we’re literally being disenfranchised, the most dangerous thing that can happen to a democracy.
So true! The majority of people won't dig any deeper than, "There is widespread voter fraud by illegal immigrants, so we are doing something about it." Talk about fake news.
Such a great point! What's a clear, concise message on fighting this?
If I’m reading this article correctly, wouldn’t this impact GOP voters more than democrats? Rural elderly voters and Hispanics voted Trump, no? I’d also imagine a lot of Trump voters who live in these rural areas don’t have a passport. My Republican in laws have traveled out of state maybe 5 times in their life and never out of the country. From what I’ve seen, Democrats are more likely to move around often and travel the world so would have updated documents
Good point. But I think the goal is just to chip away at the fair democratic process in any way possible.
Maybe the central piece of this is the Musk team/current Federal government getting access to all the voting machines…. and all the rest is distraction? Total con game. 😬
I don’t understand the logic why they created the law so most real IDs will not work. You have to prove citizenship to get the real ID but because it doesn’t show citizenship on it, no good. I actually made a passport appt a couple weeks back because I find all of this pure insanity. I hope they lose in the courts quickly!
The insanity is the point
Great points, but you do not have to be a citizen to get a real ID. For example, green card holders can get Real IDs (in CA at least). I’ve helped newly arrived refugees get them and they cannot legally vote.
Thanks Heidi
This whole EO is giving Professor Umbridge vibes and all the “proclamations” she makes don’t do anything to actually make anyone safer or better educated. But are just a smokescreen for suppression and ultimately purging certain types of kids from the school. For the uninitiated, you can go read book 5 or watch the movie.
My daughter is reading the Order of the Phoenix right now, and I swear, I was getting trauma responses just reading some of the Umbridge passages with her. Even though I grew up reading these books, it sure hits different now.
Right!? You can’t unsee the parallels of so many things this admin is when compared to things like HP.
This is all ridiculous. And I can’t believe a birth certificate isn’t valid proof of citizenship?? And some documents are really hard to come by. What if your parents weren’t responsible with your documentation? I had to order my own birth certificate because of that. Or people who lose things as a result of natural disasters? It sounds like a very slippery slope. Also looks like I’ll be getting my enhanced real ID I guess *sigh*
Not to mention the cost associated with obtaining these documents. I’m certain $165 passport fee is out of reach for many people or even a $40 replacement birth certificate. Can we say Poll tax?
Exactly! I almost want to start a crowdfunding project to help people pay for it if this goes into effect. People shouldn’t be turned away from voting because they cannot afford documents.
We also have to talk about the time constraints of obtaining these documents. Passport appointments typically happen only during a standard work day, so many people are not going to be able to leave work to take care of it. And each location has a limited number of appointments, so does anyone want to guess how many weeks/months it would take to even get the appointment? And how much extra work is this going make for post office staff? It is going to be a gigantic mess.
My parents have been in the process of getting both their REAL IDs and their passports (they prefer the REAL IDs for domestic travel and have multiple trips booked this coming year). It has been *busy* already with the REAL ID requirement coming up soon, and both of them have had to take hours off from work, travel to different towns, and forked over a good amount of money, and of course those documents themselves take time to process. Any slight hiccup with your paperwork will cause delays and require yet more effort; my mom had to try for the REAL ID *twice* because she didn't have adequate documentation of her married name change the first time (and now she gets to help my dad because he also legally changed his name as an adult). My mom's mom was an immigrant, which was an extra layer of documentation needed (the forms ask if your parents were citizens or not) and I don't know, but I have to imagine that all of this is complicated if you yourself are an immigrant.
Is it worth the effort? Sure! Is it an understandable amount of effort? Kinda! But it is still a big effort even for folks with the free time, money, and intellectual/physical abilities to get through this easily.
That is nuts! I still haven't gotten a Real ID. When it was announced, I was really annoyed by all of the requirements and basically have just refused to do it on principle. I figured that I have a passport, and I will use that. It seemed redundant to me and a lot of extra work. I do see the benefit, like you mentioned for ease of domestic travel though. I am also in a state that has the Enhanced ID which is what my mom got.
I personally opted to just get a passport and use it for both domestic and international, but my parents don't feel as comfortable carrying their passports around if they don't need to, so I understand their perspective as well!
My brother lives in Kentucky and got his REAL ID a couple years ago. He says it has been *nothing* but frustrating every time he's flown domestically. Something about his picture on the ID not 'matching' when they scan his face biometrically? He basically has to budget an extra 20-30 minutes at each flight check-in and he's considering just getting a passport to see if that would be easier! So all that to say, these documents are kind of a pain in the patooty to both obtain and to use.
If there isn't already a similar effort, yes! 😲😲 What a great idea?!
This is what I was thinking Betsy! It functions as a poll tax. The racism and classism are clear.
It’s because he’s trying to deny the legitimacy of birthright citizenship, against the Constitution
Aside from the unconstitutionality of this whole thing… I feel like it is unnecessary. Until there is evidence of widespread voter fraud being an issue (legitimate evidence not just accusations and rhetoric) all this is is a waste of money (coming from the crowd that constantly shouts “fraud! Waste! Abuse!”) and make it much more difficult for eligible voters to make their voices heard.
However, MAGA will brush it away because as long as they feel they are punishing someone for perceived and imagined wrongs the ends justify the means, even when it means hurting decent people. (And in some cases cheering for their very own demise without realizing it. I’m almost certain my dad has no passport or his birth certificate, so despite being a rural USA born and raised Trump voter he would likely no longer be able to vote)
D’oh!
I've voted by mail in the last four elections as I've moved around to different military bases with my husband (once from overseas). Every time I vote, my state has new forms or different deadlines I have to research, different ballot requests/return instructions, etc. There is usually an issue (or three) that I end up having to call the Absentee Election Manager or Secretary of State about so that I can properly submit my vote. And every year, I've had to submit ID information and I believe even military order information for a ballot request one time in order to prove that I was not in the local area to vote. To think that someone would put in that level of effort and leave such a paper trail and do so while being a non citizen is just absurd. Their election fraud claims are not about fraud or true concerns about non citizen voting. It is a cover to disenfranchise voters.
Beyone the plethora od illegalities and disenfranchisement you shared, wouldn't this likely impact those more likely to vote for Trump (and those loyal to him) as well? (Based on polling data from the 2024 presidential election)
I just posted a similar comment! Which is fine by me if Trump wants to silence his voters. I feel bad for them as no one should have their voice silence but if Trump wants to eliminate MAGA… go for it lol
That's the kinda weird thing about it huh... But I don't think people are necessarily enraged for the partisan unfairness as they are that this is such a blatant attempt to silence more legal voters than it prevents illegal voters. But maybe the chaos that this would bring to the voting process would benefit anyone who can't win elections fair and square, so perhaps that's the strategy. Make it so chaotic and unreliable that you can convince voters that the results are just a matter of interpretation.
I personally believe these EOs are written specifically to address things that Trump has already committed himself—fraud. Because it’s something he would do himself, he signs these things so that no one can turn around and do it to him. It’s literally ALL projection.
I'm not sure it matters if it's unconstitutional. It will take time for it to wend through the courts, and midterm elections are less than 2 years away. The point is to disenfranchise three poor, women, people with lower mobility, and people of color. Assuming you have all the documents to get a sufficient ID, you still have to show up to a government building during business hours and wait to get an application filled. If you work during those hours and you're one of the many Americans who don't have access to paid leave, that's a huge burden. And if you don't have one, then you have to get a certified copy, which is not free and can take weeks to get if you can't go in person, and requires proof of identity... If you don't already have a driver's license.... And then, in most states, you have to wait till your ID comes. People are going to have to start NOW to be able to vote in the midterms. Good luck to all those first time voters, who are 16 or 17 now and might not be able to get the right ID. Also, and I've been saying this for years - ladies, especially - don't change your name legally. Use a married name for social settings if you must, but don't legally change your name.