Fake voters all around us?

Cynthia Tucker, an editorialist witih the Atlanta journal-Constitution blames the GOP of making false, "paranoid" accusations of voter fraud and describes voter ID cards as "attempts to supporess voting by people of color" and unconstitutional. She cites a study that sees voter turnout drop, especially among minority voters. The question must be asked: why?

Here's the scenario: The government provides free photo identification cards to individuals who register to vote. All you need to do is show up, register, prove your citizenship, get your photo taken, and you get an ID card which allows you to vote. When you go to vote, someone looks at your card, looks at the list, and then hands you a ballot, which you fill out in secret and submit in secret.

Now, assume that Ms. Tucker is correct and the above scenario results in a decline in overall voter turnout of 3% and 6-9% decline among minorities.

How is this not evidence of some people voting illegally, using other peoples' names?

Let's set that aside for a moment. Let's assume that everyone who votes at a polling station where there are no ID checks follows the law, votes legally and properly, and does not vote under someone else's name - despite the ridiculous ease with which this can happen. The fact that it is easy to fraudulently vote and that it is equally difficult to catch someone voting fradulently casts doubt on the process. In the 2000 Presidential election, Florida was decided by a few hundred votes. In effect, the election of the President was decided by a tiny handful of votes. How can we be sure that 20 or 30 determined, morally vacant, rabidly pro-Bush supporters didn't go around to 15 to 20 different polling places, walk up to the line, glance down at the book and just rattle of a name, then illegally cast a pro-Bush vote in a heavily Democratic district? We can assume that didn't happen. However, the specter of voter fraud, and the ease with which it is perpetrated, is enough to cast doubt on the entire system.

America's approach to democracy is a laughing stock to much of the rest of the world. The voting system lack standards, has no controls in place to ensure that only those who legally can vote are the ones voting, and we frequently utilize polling technology and machines from the middle of the last century. America is supposed to be the shining beacon of democracy throughout the world. How can we do that when we ourselves have such a faulty system?

The current situation in many states, with individuals being allowed to vote without verification, calls into question the legitimacy of our democracy.