Study: Voter ID Laws Will Keep Poor From Ballot Box

A new report asserts that voter ID laws passed in 10 states will discourage low-income voters because they do not have the money or transportation to meet the new requirements. Conducted by NYU Law School's Brennan Center, which opposes the laws, the report reveals that roughly half a million voters in the 10 states do not have access to a vehicle and live farther than 10 miles away from their closest ID-issuing office, reports the Washington Post.

"We found the ability to get documents isn’t that simple," says the report's co-author. "The documents are costly for many, many voters and there are serious transportation barriers for many voters." Some ID offices require birth certificates or marriage licenses, and voters without these documents would need to pay additional costs to receive new ones. In Texas, a federal court heard a case over whether the state's ID law disenfranchises voters. A decision is expected by Labor Day. (More voter ID laws stories.)