Leading up to a contentious presidential election which may come down to a razor-thin separation between the two candidates, election security is critical. It was recently revealed that almost 2 million people in just three critical swing states have registered to vote without a photo ID.

This word came straight from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Texas witnessed 1,250,710 people register to vote without the standard photo ID just since the start of 2024. Pennsylvania had 580,513 individuals register lacking this identification, and Arizona registered 220,731 such voters.

This is an issue that unites, not divides Americans. Studies show that 81% of U.S. voters favor laws requiring a simple photo ID to participate in the election process.

Of course, there will always be exceptions based on disabilities and other important factors that must be accounted for. This is true in virtually every walk of life.

It's simple – The Democrats are planning this! Look at the amount of new voter registration without Photo ID… In many swing states. Democrats do what they accuse others of. It's so simple. We have to make sure Photo ID is a must for voting and that there are controls in place! https://t.co/1xhqpekyWf

— Jean Oosterbaum (@oosterbaum) April 3, 2024

But the America First Policy Institute reported that multiple studies proved that having this simple requirement does not negatively affect minority or other demographic groups from turning out to vote. Instead, it almost certainly instills confidence in the election system.

Having a photo ID is part of everyday life for virtually all Americans. Whether it’s purchasing alcohol or tobacco, utilizing the banking system or accessing society’s safety net, this practice permeated daily activities for the country for generations.

Opponents of such requirements insist that they are roadblocks thrown up in the path of specific demographics to the right to vote. They also claim that the cost of obtaining this standard identification is part of so-called “voter suppression.”

This despite the fact that some states now offer free photo ID services.

Showing such identification is also something that the vast majority of First World nations require to participate in their election process.

Fully 33 of 37 countries who are part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development require a photo ID to vote. Japan is an outlier, but voters must present a barcode-verified ticket to participate.

New Zealand and Australia do not require a photo ID to vote.

As for participation rates, the countries that require such identification see a quite high mark — some reaching over 84% of the voting population. Compare that to the U.S., which saw only a two-thirds participation rate in the 2020 presidential election.

The effects of lax voter ID requirements bear close watching come November, no matter the outcome of the race.