a democratic process for the people

We want our government to be "by and for the people." That requires the democratic process to be inclusive, so I'm working in Congress to combat discriminatory Voter ID laws.

21 million Americans, or about 11% of U.S. Citizens, don't have a government-issued photo ID. Why? Even if the ID card is free, the underlying documents, time away from work, and travel expenses to go get a photo ID can be a significant expense for lower-income Americans. The ACLU estimates an average of $75 - $175 per ID.

Voter ID laws have been found to reduce voter turnout between 2-3%. That's thousands of votes lost in a given state. And that loss isn't observed evenly across a population. Minority voters are disproportionately impacted. Nationwide, about 8% of white people lack ID, compared to 25% of African Americans. Studies have also found that these laws are enforced in a discriminatory manner.

These laws aren't just racially and economically discriminatory. This also impacts older Americans who may no longer have valid driver's licenses.

We must actively break down barriers to the democratic process. I've co-sponsored national legislation to allow voters to submit a sworn, written affidavit affirming their identity, just like they do here in Washington.

Let's get back to a government that's for the people.

Rick