The Political Transformation of Elections in Regard to Voter ID Laws in the United States and their Effect on the Electorate in the Last Six Presidential Elections: 2000-2020

Abstract

Over the last twenty years there has been a political trend where states have been attempting to increase election requirements on registering and voting in-person. These new requirements are in the form of strict voter ID laws that require individuals to present a government issued photo ID card to prevent voter fraud. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures in 2000 thirty-six states had little to no ID requirements, but by 2020 that number had fallen to just six. With the increased number of states implementing some form of ID requirements in order to vote – this potentially creates a problem for the economically challenged and individuals of varying races as approximately eleven percent of eligible voter’s lack government issued ID cards. To see the effect strict voter ID laws, have on the electorate a difference-in-difference state level panel regression analysis research design was done by examining thirteen states; six that implemented strict voter ID laws and seven of those that are most similar to the six that did not. The research design was setup to see if there was a reduction in the overall voter turnout and whether strict voter ID laws affected one race greater than another.