Pakistani living in US here. As far as I understand,
Democratic party has relatively poorer voters. Some of these voters do not want to take off and get their voter Id, because if they do, they will loose their wages for the day.
Republican party wants to make IDs mandatory so that these guys won't come and vote.
If you look at percentages, these voters will be less than 1% of the electorate...but important American election results are decided by a single county or a few 1000 votes, so these issues make a lot of headlines. In India, the victory margin is higher, so it doesn't make headlines yet
You can't just assume that the background is "ID works like it does in India", because it doesn't. (E.g. from my understanding, India has a free central ID system for all citizens, in the US that is something many people fundamentally oppose ever existing. And in reverse, people push for requirements on voter ID on top of just "an ID", which again excludes people and causes opposition to voter ID laws)
Exactly. Even as a New Yorker , I can’t get my ID without an accompany physical document proving who I am. The only document I have that is my Birth Certificate and I’m lucky enough that my parents still had it. If they didn’t I would have to wait 1-2 months to get it. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that an appointment for the DMV is 2 months out as well, so even if I didn’t have the birth certificate there would be waiting either way.
Voter ID laws should never be thing unless people willing to accept a national database and they’re free and given to everybody and can be given in a speedy matter with little to no obstructions.
If you look at percentages, these voters will be less than 1% of the electorate...but important American election results are decided by a single county or a few 1000 votes, so these issues make a lot of headlines. In India, the victory margin is higher, so it doesn't make headlines yet