{"id":2431321,"date":"2025-05-06T08:21:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T12:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-7-states-have-paperwork-loopholes-for-voter-id\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T08:25:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T12:25:01","slug":"in-7-states-have-paperwork-loopholes-for-voter-id","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-7-states-have-paperwork-loopholes-for-voter-id\/","title":{"rendered":"In 7 States Have Paperwork Loopholes For Voter ID"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fin-7-states-have-paperwork-loopholes-for-voter-id%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431321&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Many states have implemented voter identification laws to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-court-grants-preliminary-injunction-on-parts-of-newly-passed-florida-election-law\/\" title=\"Federal court ...s preliminary injunction on portions of recently enacted Florida ... law.\">enhance election security<\/a>. However, seven states\u2014Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, South Dakota, and virginia\u2014exhibit notable loopholes that allow residents to bypass ID requirements by merely signing forms affirming their identity. Although officials in these states request voter IDs, voters lacking identification can vote by signing affidavits claiming they are the registered voters.<\/p>\n<p>The issue of noncitizen voting has also garnered heightened attention, prompting investigations by the Department of Justice into various instances across the country. In Oregon,as an example,over 1,700 noncitizens where found on voter rolls,with over 54,000 registered under &#8220;unknown citizenship.&#8221; This raises concerns that individuals could exploit the aforementioned loopholes to falsely claim others\u2019 identities and cast ballots.<\/p>\n<p>The article details how each of the seven states implements its ID request and what alternatives are offered. Such as, Connecticut and delaware both request ID but do not require photo identification.Voters can rather sign affidavits to confirm their identities. Similar practices are seen in other states, where individuals can attest to their identity with the help of another registered voter or by signing a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Instances of election fraud have been reported in several of these states, highlighting the potential for misuse of these loopholes.The piece underscores the ongoing debates around election integrity, with claims that noncitizen voting is rare being countered by evidence of such occurrences.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Many states have adopted voter identification to bolster <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/voter-id\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">election security<\/a>. But seven states which claim to check voter ID have loopholes, allowing residents to avoid the requirement by simply filling out paperwork.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, South Dakota, and Virginia, officials <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&ldquo;request&rdquo; voter ID<\/a>, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. If someone lacks ID while voting in person, however, they must simply sign forms claiming to be the voter, and officials will let them cast a ballot.<\/p>\n<p>In recent months, noncitizen voting has drawn increasing scrutiny nationwide. The Department of Justice is <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/01\/noncitizen-voting-and-voter-fraud-schemes-doj-investigates-voting-crimes-across-multiple-states-and-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">investigating<\/a> numerous cases of noncitizen voting, as The Federalist previously reported. In Oregon &mdash; which has no ID requirement &mdash; officials found more than 1,700 noncitizens on the rolls and registered more than <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/11\/22\/oregon-dmv-busted-allowing-people-of-unknown-citizenship-to-register-to-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">54,000 of &ldquo;unknown citizenship.&rdquo;<\/a> Hypothetically, in the seven states mentioned above, bad actors could falsely claim others&rsquo; identity to vote on their behalf.<\/p>\n<h2>Connecticut<\/h2>\n<p>In Connecticut, an ID is &ldquo;[r]equested&rdquo; but a photo is &ldquo;[n]ot [r]equired,&rdquo; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NCSL<\/a>. If someone does not have one, they can simply fill out a form claiming to be the voter.<\/p>\n<p>State election law says voters can <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/connecticut\/title-9\/chapter-147\/section-9-261\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">show<\/a> a social security card or &ldquo;any other preprinted form of identification which shows the elector&rsquo;s name and either the elector&rsquo;s address, signature or photograph.&rdquo; If a voter does not have one, he or she must simply fill out a form with the elector&rsquo;s name, &ldquo;residential address and date of birth,&rdquo; and sign &ldquo;under penalty of false statement&rdquo; that he or she is the elector before casting a ballot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Connecticut has been home to multiple election fraud investigations. In 2023, a judge <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/02\/judge-overturns-bridgeport-mayoral-election-due-to-evidence-of-mail-ballot-fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overturned<\/a> the Bridgeport mayoral election after evidence surfaced that the incumbent won due to election tampering. And in January, police arrested a state bureaucrat for changing Republican voter registrations to Democrat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Delaware<\/h2>\n<p>Like Connecticut, an ID is &ldquo;[r]equested&rdquo; but a photo is &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[n]ot [r]equired<\/a>&rdquo; to vote in Delaware. If voters don&rsquo;t have one, they can simply sign an affidavit.<\/p>\n<p>Voters can show forms of ID <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">including<\/a> photo IDs, utility bills, paychecks, or &ldquo;[a]ny government document with voter&rsquo;s name and address,&rdquo; according to NCSL. But state election law says if a voter &ldquo;does not have proof of identity with them, the voter shall sign an affidavit of affirmation that the voter is the person listed on the election district record&rdquo; before casting his or her ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Courts have repeatedly struck down the state&rsquo;s Democrat-backed voting laws. In 2022, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nc-supreme-court-says-voter-id-amendment-may-be-invalid-because-of-racial-gerrymandering\/\" title=\"NC Supreme Court Says ... ID Amendment May Be Invalid Because Of Racial Gerrymandering\">state supreme court found<\/a> same-day registration and no-excuse mail-in voting <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/10\/07\/delaware-supreme-court-no-excuse-mail-in-voting-same-day-registration-are-unconstitutional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">violated<\/a> Delaware&rsquo;s constitution, as The Federalist previously reported. Last year, the state superior court found <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/02\/26\/court-turning-election-day-into-election-week-and-creating-permanent-mail-voters-violates-delawares-constitution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">early voting and &ldquo;permanent absentee&rdquo; voting<\/a> policies were also unconstitutional.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Idaho<\/h2>\n<p>In Idaho, a &ldquo;[p]hoto ID&rdquo; is &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">requested<\/a>.&rdquo; But if someone does not have the appropriate ID, they must simply sign an affidavit claiming to be the voter. Idaho citizens voted to officially <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/11\/08\/by-massive-margins-voters-in-eight-states-say-only-citizens-can-vote-in-their-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ban noncitizen voting<\/a> in November.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Officials ask voters for documents like a driver&rsquo;s license, passport, state ID, federal ID, tribal ID, or concealed carry license, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NCSL<\/a>. But state law also says voters can show a &ldquo;personal identification <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.idaho.gov\/statutesrules\/idstat\/title34\/t34ch11\/sect34-1114\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">affidavit<\/a>.&rdquo; While anyone who &ldquo;knowingly provides false, erroneous or inaccurate information&rdquo; is &ldquo;guilty of a felony,&rdquo; according to Idaho <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.idaho.gov\/statutesrules\/idstat\/Title34\/T34CH11\/SECT34-1114\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">law<\/a>, this affidavit simply requires the voter&rsquo;s name, address, and signature prior to voting.<\/p>\n<h2>Iowa<\/h2>\n<p>An ID is &ldquo;[r]equested&rdquo; in Iowa, though a photo is &ldquo;[n]ot [r]equired,&rdquo; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NCSL<\/a>. If voters don&rsquo;t have an ID, they can simply have another person attest to their identity. Iowa voters approved a measure in November to help ensure <a href=\"https:\/\/iowacapitaldispatch.com\/2024\/11\/05\/ap-iowans-approve-constitutional-amendment-on-voter-age-citizenship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">only U.S. citizens<\/a> vote in elections.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accepted<\/a> forms of ID include a state driver&rsquo;s license, a &ldquo;nonoperator&rsquo;s&rdquo; ID, passport, &ldquo;military card,&rdquo; veteran&rsquo;s ID, or a current &ldquo;voter registration card.&rdquo; If a voter cannot show one of these, he or she can have another registered voter from the same precinct attest to their identity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Both you and the attester will be required to <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.iowa.gov\/voters\/election-day\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sign an oath<\/a> swearing the statements being made are true,&rdquo; according to the Iowa secretary of state&rsquo;s office. Falsely attesting &mdash; or having someone else falsely attest for oneself &mdash; is considered &ldquo;registration fraud.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Michigan<\/h2>\n<p>A &ldquo;[p]hoto ID&rdquo; is &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">requested<\/a>&rdquo; to vote in Michigan. But &ldquo;[i]f ID is not presented, the voter signs an affidavit and votes on a regular ballot,&rdquo; according to NCSL.<\/p>\n<p>Voters can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/sos\/05mcalpine\/photo_id_flyer.pdf?rev=831b0a8e20d84f559444306b26eb6584\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">show<\/a> a state ID, driver&rsquo;s license, federal ID, passport, military ID, tribal ID, or student ID before casting their ballot, according to the secretary of state&rsquo;s office. As The Federalist reported at the time, a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/28\/chinese-national-who-allegedly-voted-in-michigan-skips-court-faces-arrest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chinese national<\/a> used a student ID to vote in November&rsquo;s election.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Voters without ID, however, can simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/sos\/05mcalpine\/photo_id_flyer.pdf?rev=831b0a8e20d84f559444306b26eb6584\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sign<\/a> an affidavit and &mdash; according to state law &mdash; &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.mi.gov\/Laws\/MCL?objectName=MCL-168-523\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">be allowed to vote<\/a> as otherwise provided &hellip;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson found <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/04\/michigan-secretary-of-state-discovers-15-possible-noncitizen-voters-insists-its-no-big-deal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">15 likely noncitizens<\/a> voted statewide in November&rsquo;s election, but downplayed it as &ldquo;rare,&rdquo; as The Federalist previously reported. Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also signed a law taking effect in June, which will empower Benson&rsquo;s office to automatically offer voter registration to anyone unless they <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/30\/michigan-law-would-let-you-register-to-vote-unless-you-prove-youre-not-a-citizen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prove noncitizenship<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>South Dakota<\/h2>\n<p>Similarly to Michigan, a &ldquo;[p]hoto ID&rdquo; is &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">requested<\/a>&rdquo; to vote in South Dakota. If a voter does not have this, however, he or she may simply sign an affidavit.<\/p>\n<p>State election law says voters may provide <a href=\"https:\/\/sdlegislature.gov\/Statutes\/Codified_Laws\/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=12-18-6.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">documents<\/a> like a driver&rsquo;s license, state ID, a federal government photo ID or passport, a tribal photo ID, or a student photo ID. But if they do not have one, they can &mdash; under the &ldquo;penalty of perjury&rdquo; &mdash; fill out an <a href=\"https:\/\/sdlegislature.gov\/Statutes\/12-18-6.2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">affidavit<\/a> with a name, address, and signature to cast a ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of November&rsquo;s election, South Dakota removed <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/10\/08\/south-dakota-removes-273-noncitizens-from-its-voter-rolls-ahead-of-2024-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">273 noncitizens<\/a> from the voter rolls, as The Federalist previously reported.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Virginia<\/h2>\n<p>An ID is &ldquo;[r]equested&rdquo; to vote in Virginia, though a photo is &ldquo;[n]ot [r]equired,&rdquo; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NCSL<\/a>. If a voter doesn&rsquo;t show ID, they can sign &ldquo;a statement affirming their identity&rdquo; then &ldquo;cast a regular ballot.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Voters can show &ldquo;voter confirmation documents&rdquo; such as a valid passport, a state or government license or ID, a valid student ID, an employee ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or &ldquo;other government document&rdquo; with one&rsquo;s &ldquo;name and address,&rdquo; according to state <a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/title24.2\/chapter6\/section24.2-643\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">law<\/a>. If one does not have these forms of ID, however, he can &ldquo;be allowed to vote after signing a statement, subject to <a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-1016\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">felony penalties<\/a> for false statements &hellip; that he is the named registered voter he claims to be.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>After Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin removed <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/10\/16\/virginia-department-of-elections-has-been-complicit-for-years-in-registering-noncitizens-to-vote-county-gop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than 6,300 noncitizens<\/a> from Virginia&rsquo;s voter rolls last year, former President Joe Biden&rsquo;s Department of Justice filed a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/10\/14\/biden-harris-doj-sues-to-stop-virginia-from-taking-noncitizens-off-the-voter-rolls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit<\/a> to keep them registered, as The Federalist reported at the time. Also last year, state Democrats tried to install provisions in the budget to <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/05\/why-are-virginia-democrats-working-so-hard-to-prevent-election-audits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prevent election audits<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While many other states allow provisional voting in person without an ID, they incorporate other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">safeguards<\/a> like having officials certify attestations, verify signatures, and allow voters to show ID after the fact. Legacy media constantly <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/US\/election-fact-check-noncitizens-vote-instances-vanishingly-rare\/story?id=115025674\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claim<\/a> noncitizen voting never happens. But these loopholes and abundant <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/noncitizen-voting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">examples<\/a> across the country suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >staff writer covering election integrity<\/a>. He is a spring 2025 fellow of The College Fix. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seven states have voter ID laws with loopholes, allowing residents to bypass requirements by filling out forms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2431322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/No-ID.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32644,54684,42178,34222,32570],"class_list":["post-2431321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-election-integrity","tag-paperwork-loopholes","tag-state-laws","tag-voter-id","tag-voting-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/No-ID.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431321"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431325,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431321\/revisions\/2431325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}