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VP Vance Under Fire for “Voter ID” Claims, Sparking Online Debate
Vice President JD Vance has ignited a social media firestorm after asserting that “voter ID” is a prerequisite for a wide array of everyday activities beyond casting a ballot. The remarks, made during a discussion with Lara Trump, have drawn sharp criticism and widespread online mockery.
During the conversation, Vance stated, “It’s so simple to get on an airplane, you need voter ID. To buy a beer, you need voter ID, but to do the most important thing that we do as American citizens, exercising our right to vote, we let anybody vote without any confirmation they actually have the right to vote in our elections.
Now I think Laura, that’s actually a form of theft.” He also pledged to prioritize the “SAVE America Act” following the recent government shutdown.
The proposed SAVE Act seeks to implement stringent new voting requirements. It would mandate that Americans provide a birth certificate, passport, or other proof of citizenship to register or re-register to vote, and require valid photo identification for casting ballots – a measure already in place in some states.
Republicans argue the legislation is crucial for preventing voter fraud, while Democrats contend it would disenfranchise millions of Americans by creating significant barriers to voting. Federal law already stipulates that voters in national elections must be U.S. citizens, but currently, there is no requirement for documentary proof of citizenship to register.
Online reactions to Vance’s statements were swift and pointed. “So tourists can’t buy a beer because they don’t have a voter ID?
Huge if true!” one user quipped.
Another responded, “Uhhh…no I just need my driver’s license NOT what is required in the SAVE Act.”
Experts widely agree that voter fraud is exceptionally rare, and instances of noncitizens voting are minimal. Data from the Brennan Center for Justice indicates that over 21 million American citizens lack easy access to the types of documents the SAVE Act would require. The Center’s analysis further reveals that a significant portion of these individuals are active and engaged voters.
Should the SAVE Act be enacted, the Brennan Center warns that millions of voters who do not have immediate access to citizenship documents, such as birth certificates, passports, or naturalization papers, could be prevented from voting in federal elections through 2028, particularly if they relocate and need to re-register. Notably, the Center’s research suggests the impact would be felt across the political spectrum, with similar percentages of Democrats and Republicans who voted in 2020 lacking easy access to the required documents.
This renewed push for changes to voting rules at the onset of the midterm election season has raised concerns, especially given previous suggestions by President Donald Trump to nationalize U.S. elections, which are constitutionally designed to be administered by individual states. Recent actions by the Trump administration, including the seizure of 2020 election ballots in Georgia and demands for voter rolls from states like Michigan (where a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit), have further amplified these anxieties.
Secretaries of state have voiced apprehension that voters’ personal data could be shared with Homeland Security for citizenship verification, potentially leading to the unlawful purging of eligible voters from the rolls.