What Republicans KNOW About Voter Fraud

All over the country, Republican legislatures are trying to pass voter ID laws supposedly to stop rampant voter fraud perpetrated by Democrats and their election-stealing minions. I've spent more time than I should arguing with my fellow bloggers who insist that requiring a photo ID of a voter will safeguard the integrity of our election process.

Their basic argument is that requiring a photo ID will ensure that the voter is voting legally. They claim that a signature at the polling place is insufficient. They say that elections are being stolen by people who are voting illegally. And finally they claim that requiring a photo ID causes no harm or burden to any voter.

In this brief post, I will provide evidence of illegal voting which has been compiled by the Republican National Lawyers Association. The RNLA data shows convictions in 46 states for voter or election fraud over the last TEN YEARS. In all, 308 convictions are found. Again, that's over ten years.

These 308 convictions fall into the following categories:

Absentee ballot fraud 10
Felon voting 16
Multiple voting 25
Non-citizen voting 23
Registration fraud 35
Vote buying 51
Vote fraud 47
Voter impersonation 6
Other 95
Total 308

There are only two categories here that MIGHT be addressed by photo ID laws: Multiple voting (maybe) and Voter impersonation. I challenge anyone to make a case disputing this.

So generously speaking, the REPUBLICAN National Lawyers Association has found 31 cases of voter fraud which might have been prevented by requiring a photo ID.

31 cases over 10 years.

Don't be swayed by the Republican argument that we must have voter ID laws to preserve the integrity of our elections. The ONLY goal of these laws is to allow fewer Democratic voters to exercise the franchise.

That's voter SUPPRESSION and that's what it's all about.