I had been thinking about a sort of voter ID card the last couple of weeks. The idea sprang out of a thought: what would Karl Rove hate the most? The answer for me was easy – voter turnout in numbers like there are in most European elections. When Sunday’s election in France had a record 85% turnout, it meant a turnout of all eligible French voters, not registered voters. Every citizen is eligible. Without being an expert, I would guess that the voter turnout in national elections in the United States is between 50 and 65% of eligible voters. I use this to explain to Europeans how a shrub can be elected as the President of the USA. 53% voted in 2000, and he got less than half, 26% of eligible voters. Think about it – 26 %! About 28% think he’s doing a good job now, more than enough to elect in 2000.
In my country Denmark, the national ID functions as a National Health card. It also means that every citizen is automatically registered and gets sent a voting card, one week before elections. This card is used to vote with, and has information as to which place the person should vote. No voter registration needed, but you do have to send in a form when you move (It’s also possible on line with a digital signature). Citizens can also vote early by mail or in person. There are strict laws, regulations and rules, and an independent board that oversees implementation and enforcement of "registers" (databases) that keep personal data.
I know there are a lot of problems that would have to be worked out – like what about the homeless, what about security to prevent identity theft, who is going to pay, biometrics on a chip, what to do about your Republic Big Brother, and lots of other questions and possibilities, but I would like to suggest that we as progressives start looking at how a "Real Voter "ID / National healthcare ID could be used to encourage wide spread voting, and provide a form of defense against typical Rovian election fraud. Real ID in its current form and implementation is just not good enough. In stead of just fighting against it, let’s think ahead, and find a way to make it work, if not now, then for when responsible adults are running the US government again.