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I. INTRODUCTION
A sizable number of Americans believe that voter fraud occurs.1 To combat voter fraud-or at least the perception that it exists-many states have recently enacted laws that impose documentary identification requirements on their voters. These so-called "voter ID laws" typically require a citizen to prove his identity with a government-issued ID before he can cast his ballot. Such voter ID laws come in various guises and are currently in force in thirty-five states.2 In most states, these laws, which have been enacted along strictly partisan lines, have been divisive and controversial.3 Our political parties see the world differently when it comes to voter ID requirements. Republicans tend to be concerned with election integrity and claim that voter ID laws are necessary to prevent fraud. Democrats liken voter ID laws to the poll taxes and literacy tests of the past and claim these laws disenfranchise minorities, the elderly, and the poor.4 Because the perceptions of voter fraud and the conclusions about the effects of voter ID laws differ between Republicans and Democrats, voter ID laws have been the subject of intense debate during the last several election cycles. They have also been subject to multiple court challenges. Even so, there is little evidence that the partisan rhetoric on either side of the aisle is at all subsiding.
To move the conversation forward, this Article seeks to forge a new path. Part II presents a picture of America's current voter ID landscape. It recounts the history of voter ID laws in the United States, looks at their justifications, and probes their popular support. It also discusses the litigation involving these laws and examines the scholarly literature concerning their effects. Some of this literature suggests that these laws might have less impact than is commonly believed, both in terms of preventing voter fraud and in terms of suppressing turnout.5 As such, Part III explores how the proponents and opponents of voter ID laws could be brought together to achieve their common goals. These goals are to protect the integrity of American elections while not making it any more difficult for ordinary citizens to participate in the democratic process. Part III offers a proposal for how these twin goals could be achieved with a voter ID requirement.