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How Being Trans Could Mean Being Told To Take A Hike At The Polls This November
We won’t get into why strict voter-ID laws are horrible, oppressive and racist — you can do you own homework there.
But the fact remains that ten states currently have laws on the books that make it increasingly difficult to exercise your constitutional right to vote, and a new study indicates that among the disenfranchised in the upcoming midterm elections are 24,000 transgender people.
According to “The Potential Impact of Voter Identification Laws on Transgender Voters in the 2014 General Election,” authored by the Williams Institute’s Jody L. Herman, Ph.D., transgender people who have transitioned but do not have proper paperwork reflecting their gender will be turned away at the polls.
“Lawmakers should not overlook the consequences of enacting stricter voter ID laws on transgender voters,” said Herman. “Election officials must consider the potential impact of these laws in the upcoming November elections. Voter ID laws create a unique barrier for transgender people who would otherwise be eligible to vote.”
The states where people will face problems are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
“Some voters may not have the means or the ability to present the required voter identification for a variety of reasons, such as poverty, disability, or religious objection. Transgender people have unique barriers to obtaining accurate IDs needed to vote. As these ten states begin planning for their fall elections, educating poll workers is crucial in order to ensure that transgender voters in their states have fair access to the ballot,” added Herman.
View the full report here.
Dan Tracer
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