The holiday season is here, and with it can come some awkward political discussions at the dinner table. For the past two years, we have highlighted some common myths about elections, voting rights and democracy and offered ways to debunk them. The tradition continues this year as we push back on some persisting myths from last year and address new ones that have gained traction in recent months.
While photo ID requirements have become a common burden for voters in states throughout the U.S., they were once non-existent. Until the 2006 election, not a single state in the country had ever required government-issued photo IDs to vote — a reality that made sense given that studies have shown the requirements do not notably decrease fraud, but rather depress minority turnout.
The rise in ID requirements didn’t come after any substantial increase in voter fraud, but rather after a controversial 2000 presidential election and a couple of dangerous U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
Acquiring photo ID can be extremely difficult for a wide variety of voters, especially for minority and low-income individuals. Barriers including limited ID services, circular and confusing document requirements, expensive acquisition costs and discriminatory and prejudicial practices all make obtaining photo ID a...
Celtic Park. 17 May 2025.. Photo Vagelis Georgariou “It’s one thing saving for a rainy day but it looks like Celtic are saving for a monsoon,” Swiss Ramble We assume it was supposed to reassure. I...