Protecting the vote from illegal aliens
Attackers of the integrity of the American vote enrolled illegal aliens as voters. Defenders of the integrity of the American vote responded with the requirement that proof of identity and United States citizenship, namely, a driver license or a state identification card, be displayed to an election official prior to voting.
The next onslaught by attackers was to cheapen the significance of a driver license or of a state identification card as an indicator of United States citizenship, through issuance of driver licenses and state identification cards to illegal aliens.
{mosads}If applicable law is not improved immediately, there would be a tsunami of votes by more than 10 million illegal aliens.
A counter-onslaught by defenders is needed. That should be the specification of the documents which, for the purpose of voting, are deemed to be proof of identity and proof of United States citizenship. The only documents which assuredly show identity and United States citizenship are a United States passport and a United States military-identification card.
A driver license or a state identification card remains useful as a proof of address.
The United States and each state should have a statute which makes a showing of assured documentary proof of identity, and a showing of assured documentary proof of United States citizenship, and a showing of assured documentary proof of residence, prerequisite to registration; and which makes a showing of assured documentary proof of identity prerequisite to voting.
The requirements are expressed in the following draft legislation for consideration by the United States Congress. The draft legislation can be adapted by states.
Be it enacted [etc.]
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Voting Integrity Act of 2015.
Section 2. Registration requirement. A United States citizen who registers to vote, on or after the effective date of this Act, shall show proof of identity, proof of United States citizenship, and proof of address.
Section 3. Proof of identity. Proof of identity is restricted to one of the following documents:
(a) A passport issued by the United States Department of State, or a passport card issued by the United States Department of State.
(b) An identification card issued by the United States Department of the Defense, through the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, or United States Coast Guard.
Section 4. Validity. A document specified in section 3 constitutes proof of identity only if it is valid, as indicated by the issuance date and the expiration date on or in the document.
Section 5. Proof of United States citizenship. A document which is authorized for use as proof of identity is also proof of United States citizenship.
Section 6. Proof of address. Proof of address is restricted to one of the following documents:
(a) For a United States citizen who is a permanent resident of a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a territory, commonwealth, or possession of the United States: a driver license or a state identification card.
(b) For a United States citizen who is a permanent resident of a country other than the United States: a driver license or an identity card issued by the country of permanent residence..
Section 7. Validity. A document specified in section 6 constitutes proof of address only if it is valid, as indicated by the issuance date and the expiration date on or in the document.
Section 8. Voting requirement. To vote on or after the effective date of this Act, a United States citizen shall show proof of identity specified in section 3.
Section 9. Applicability. (a) This Act applies to any election which takes place in the District of Columbia.
(b) This Act applies to any election which is for the purpose, in whole or in part, of the election of electors of the president and vice president of the United States, of the election of a United States senator, of the election of a representative in Congress, or the election of a delegate to the Congress.
Krueger is a lawyer, and the author of Krueger on United States Passport Law (2nd ed. 2005).
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