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Comment by dustcoin | Hacker News Reader

    A majority of non-citizens in Voter ID states
    self-report that they were required to show photo ID
    (which they could not have had)

Non-citizens can acquire legitimate photo ID (a driver's license, for example).

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Not a form of photo ID that can be used as a "Voter ID", however. The photo ID presented at the polling place would have to correspond with the existing voter registration. A non-citizen driver's license isn't proof of citizenship, and that is what is required by voter ID (with some variations based on the individual state, of course).

I'm curious, what ID can be assumed to be proof of citizenship? The only thing that springs to mind (I'll admit I'm not american, but have a little experience there) would be a birth certificate. Which generally doesn't fall under 'Photo ID'.

(Genuine question; I realise such matters very wildly from state to state, and my experience is limited to Michigan - which didn't have this requirement, and I don't believe issues any ID other than drivers licence, or a 'state ID' - a voluntary substitute for the drivers licence where the licence isn't held)

> what ID can be assumed to be proof of citizenship

A passport, but a drivers license is acceptable for voting.

A birth certificate doesn't prove citizenship. Someone born in the US could emigrate and become a citizen of another country, then re-enter the US on a visit. Conversely, someone born elsewhere could be a naturalized citizen.

A passport could prove citizenship (assuming the passport office checks properly before issuing it), but not everyone has a passport.

ID is not proof of right to vote. The polling place has voter rolls, and being on that list is proof of right to vote. To get on that list requires registration.

> A non-citizen driver's license isn't proof of citizenship, and that is what is required by voter ID

[citation needed]

Everything I've seen listed a drivers license as acceptable.

I'm not referring to the photo ID presented at the polling place (which is not proof of citizenship, but of identity), but the normal voter registration process used by the state (which typically has other identity and residency requirements) and is then verified by photo ID.

EDIT: The terminology with Voter ID can be imprecise and confusing, and I admit I used "voter id" where I meant the registration and voting procedure.

It still doesn't appear that way.

Looking at the requirements for Texas (since they've been screaming about it quite loudly) you are required to provide the following documents for voter registration:

On the application, you must provide:

    Your TX driver’s license number.  
    A personal identification number from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).  
    OR  
    Your Social Security number.

As I non-citizen, I still have a SSN, so that's not a problem. Further on they have this:

If you DO NOT have one of these numbers, you will be required to show proof of identification at the polls. They then go on to list the appropriate documents -

    Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
    Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
    Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
    Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
    United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
    United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
    United States passport

Several of those do not prove citizenship.

I can't speak with certainty about Texas. But the normal process would be that if you had a non-citizen driver's license and lacked a SSN (or the SSN was for a non-citizen), it would not be acceptable for voter registration. (This could certainly be verified after the fact, as well, if the state wished).

The list of "appropriate documents" are in-person (Voter ID) requirements, which would have required registering with the SSN or driver's license, as you mentioned.

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