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chapium

I always hear this, but getting a state issued ID is ridiculously easy and it fulfills ID requirements.

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Take NYC for example:

To apply for a photo ID card, you must:

Be a citizen or a legal resident of the U.S.

Be a resident of New York State.

Have your original birth certificate.

Have your Social Security card.

Be able to provide enough documents to verify your identity.

https://www.dmv.org/ny-new-york/id-cards.php

That's far from easy, and it's very easy to imagine scenarios where one lacks one or more of those. Proving residency can be hard, and is impossible for those who are homeless. The homeless have a right to vote.

My wife can't get NY ID, since she her mom changed her name as a baby twice and lost all of the docs, so they won't accept her current proof.

Then we should be trying to help homeless people get valid IDs, their quality of life depends on it at least as much as voting, likely far more.

This doesn't sound right. I got an NYC ID (Learner's Permit) without being a citizen and without presenting my birth certificate. I think I have had my Foreign (Ukrainian) Passport, employment authorization form (the form that goes with H1B visa), and a SSN card. I don't remember having to prove that I'm an NYC resident and I don't think I could have proved that -- I was living in a corporate housing back then.

Proving identity is like trying to write an address validation algorithm: there’s a million one-off, real-world exceptions to any given rule that it makes it impossible.

https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-a...

Huh? The state I live in doesn't issue legal ID, nor do multiple other states surrounding us. You can get an ID card or drivers license, but they aren't federally recognized/usable.

The TSA will let you fly without ID if you answer a few questions to confirm your identity: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

Well, and conduct a very thorough screening.

I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to lose my driver's license somewhere in the 50 yards between the car and the airport door that I was actually able to fly. But they did really screen me. The hotel on the other end was more of a problem...

> Huh? The state I live in doesn't issue legal ID, nor do multiple other states surrounding us.

What does this mean? Do you mean RealID? States run elections so I’m not sure why this matters.

It's not hard but I wouldn't call it 'ridiculously easy'. In Michigan, you need to supply minimum four documents. One of which is for proof residency which can be really hard for a homeless person.

How easy? Are the offices open outside 9-5? Are they in areas easily accessible to everyone or only in the major cities?

And costs $14, at least in Ohio.

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