Beginning at approximately the same time, or a little before, the start of Republican campaigns for the next election, new laws were proposed in nearly all Republican dominated states to require new restrictions on voter registration and voting. It is clear (to me and other sane persons) that this is an attempt to selectively limit the number of persons less fanatic about politics (who largely vote Democratic) in favor or of the jack-boots who reliably vote Republican.

Claims of "immense voter fraud" were made in justification of these laws.

A new analysis, that appears to be about as thorough as possible, has been made of the extent of voter fraud in recent US elections.

New database of US voter fraud finds no evidence that photo ID laws are needed

First of a series of articles, Who Can Vote: a News21 investigation of voting rights in America
By Natasha Khan and Corbin Carson, News21

A new nationwide analysis of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000 shows that while fraud has occurred, the rate is infinitesimal, and in-person voter impersonation on Election Day, which prompted 37 state legislatures to enact or consider tough voter ID laws, is virtually non-existent.

In an exhaustive public records search, reporters from the investigative reporting project News21 sent thousands of requests to elections officers in all 50 states, asking for every case of fraudulent activity including registration fraud, absentee ballot fraud, vote buying, false election counts, campaign fraud, casting an ineligible vote, voting twice, voter impersonation fraud and intimidation.

Analysis of the resulting comprehensive News21 election fraud database turned up 10 cases of voter impersonation. With 146 million registered voters in the United States during that time, those 10 cases represent one out of about every 15 million prospective voters.

"Voter fraud at the polls is an insignificant aspect of American elections," said elections expert David Schultz, professor of public policy at Hamline University School of Business in St. Paul, Minn.

"There is absolutely no evidence," Schultz said, that voter impersonation fraud "has affected the outcome of any election in the United States, at least any recent election in the United States."

The News21 analysis of its election fraud database shows:

In-person voter-impersonation fraud is rare. The database shows 207 cases of other types of fraud for every case of voter impersonation. "The fraud that matters is the fraud that is organized. That's why voter impersonation is practically non-existent because it is difficult to do and it is difficult to pull people into conspiracies to do it," said Lorraine Minnite, professor of public policy and administration at Rutgers University.

There is more fraud in absentee ballots and voter registration than any other categories. The analysis shows 491 cases of absentee ballot fraud and 400 cases of registration fraud. A required photo ID at the polls would not have prevented these cases. "The one issue I think is potentially important, though more or less ignored, is the overuse of absentee balloting, which provides far more opportunity for fraud and intimidation than on-site voter fraud," said Daniel Lowenstein, a UCLA School of Law professor.

Of reported election-fraud allegations in the database whose resolution could be determined, 46 percent resulted in acquittals, dropped charges or decisions not to bring charges. Minnite says prosecutions are rare. "You have to be able to show that people knew what they were doing and they knew it was wrong and they did it anyway," she said. "It may be in the end" that prosecutors "can't really show that the people who have cast technically illegal ballots did it on purpose."

Felons or noncitizens sometimes register to vote or cast votes because they are confused about their eligibility. The database shows 74 cases of felons voting and 56 cases of noncitizens voting.

Voters make a lot of mistakes, from accidentally voting twice to voting in the wrong precinct.

Election officials make a lot mistakes, from clerical errors — giving voters ballots when they've already voted — to election workers confused about voters' eligibility requirements.

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The article is very long and quite thorough, and much too long to post in its entirety here; but reading it, and the additional information at links there, is highly recommended.

Kansas is one of only two states where the "new laws" will be in effect at the coming election, although a couple of dozen other states will have the same or similar laws in the near future. Inital setup and implemention of this completely unnecessary ID system is estimated, by the most reliable sources available, as up to $200 MILLION dollars in Kansas alone (of course depending on which liar you believe) - approximately equalling all the visible cuts in education funding (since we can't afford it) for the state since the last election, and it is expected that failure to clearly publicize the requirements may disenfranchise somwhat more than 10% of state residents legally qualified to vote, but lacking the "new ID" required, on election day.

The article, and the resources linked in it, give the best summary of the situation that I've seen so far, and reading is recommended.

John