Focusing on the Wrong Problem

It's not news that voter identification rules are controversial. Proponents argue that the laws are needed to prevent fraud that can make (has made?) the difference in close elections. Opponents say that these laws discourage turnout by certain groups of legitimate voters. But the real problem may lie elsewhere.

Absentee-ballot fraud is a far bigger problem than voter-impersonation fraud—about 50 times more common, says News21—and voter-ID laws won't stop it.

That result is not surprising. Just as it's a lot easier to steal over the Internet than to rob a bank, committing paper fraud rather than showing up in person and risking arrest is easier and safer for the miscreant.

© 2012 Stephen Yuen