To follow up on Steve's request for data on voter fraud, I'm wondering whether anyone has engaged in studies or sampling that estimate the percentage of fraudulent votes cast using a false identity at the polls.  

In other words, I'm not looking for fraud that a voter ID requirement at the polls would not prevent, such as double voting in different states, voting by ineligible felons, or fraud by absentee voters.

A variety of studies have estimated the number of people who lack ID (6-10% of the electorate lacks state ID, 36% of Georgians over age 75 lack a driverâs license, Louisiana blacks in 1994 were 4-5 times less likely than whites to have photo IDs).  Other numbers suggest some people fail to bring ID to the polls (2% of South Dakota voters failed to bring ID to the polls in 2004, and the number was as high as 16% in predominantly Native American areas).

If one has this information, I'd be interested in whether voter ID requirements at the polls deter more fraudulent votes than legitimate votes.

Thanks,

Spencer




Professor Spencer Overton
The George Washington University Law School
2000 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052 
(202)994-9794
soverton@law.gwu.edu 
http://www.law.gwu.edu/facweb/soverton/

THE DONOR CLASS (arguing that campaign reforms should encourage candidates to raise the bulk of their funds from smaller contributors) available at . . . 
http://ssrn.com/abstract=569021



---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Steven Mulroy <smulroy@memphis.edu>
Date:  Thu, 21 Apr 2005 15:08:31 -0500

I have been reading about the GOP proposals for photo ID requirements 
for all voters, and also calls for a national registration ID (with 
photos and fingerprints, according to some accounts).  I was wondering 
who has data quantifying the actual amount of voter fraud (as opposed to 
fraud by voting officials) which has occurred in recent years.  I recall 
asking this in the past and not getting anything specific; is there new 
evidence? SJM

 

 
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