Can someone please explain to me how anyone in the U.S. functions without a government issued I.D.?

[PeaceWave]

I am not talking about a passport or a birth certificate. Asking anyone in the U.S. to have ready access at all times to either is nonsense. What I'm talking about is either a Driver's License or a State issued Identification Card. I ask this not in support of Trump's "SAVE" Act - A stupid name for a piece of legislation if ever there was one. The "SAVE" Act, if anything, is likely to create more confusion in our voting process than anything else. Hence, I am unequivocally against the "SAVE" Act. That said, I am curious how living as an adult in the U.S. without any government issued I.D. even works.

[Melon]

1. I don't think it's possible.

You could make it months…but years no Id? Not possible.

[AZJonnie]

4. It would be really hard if you lived alone for sure

But not impossible if you don't. Or if you didn't actually have a home at all.

[rsdsharp]

31. It's possible. In fact, it's no trouble at all. I haven't had a valid driver's license since early May 2020.

[Melon]

32. ID. You have no ID?

[rsdsharp]

33. I have no driver's license or state issued identification card.

I have a Social Security card which is clearly marked “Not For Identification,” and a Voter Identification Card, which has no picture, and which the state sent me unsolicited.

[PatSeg]

34. I've been house-bound for several years now

and I haven't driven a car since 2009. My driver's license expired and being I no longer drive, I was going to get a state ID, but they changed the requirements and I didn't have any of the documentation that they asked for to prove residency (very limited selection). Out of frustration and because I've been ill, I just quit trying, though I suddenly felt invisible.

I don't go anywhere and I don't write checks. I vote absentee and live in an apartment in my son's house. I do most things online.

It's funny, I was thinking the other day that when I was a young adult I didn't have a driver's license as I didn't have a car. I rented three or four apartments, opened more than one checking account, and had credit cards to several retail stores. I knew a lot of people who didn't have driver's licenses or state IDs back then.

[Melon]

36. I get it. I've got a long term degenerative health issue

During bad times I really leave my house as little as possible.

[PatSeg]

37. In recent years,

the only time I've left the house was to go to the hospital or the doctor's office. I order my groceries online for delivery. My son and his wife are very helpful, though I try to be as independent as I can be. I just know I am limited as to what I can and cannot do and that is often any physical exertion due respiratory problems and now congestive heart failure.

I do whatever I can to stay out of the hospital, particularly the ICU. Nothing really prepared me for growing old, but I'm adapting as best I can. Thanks for understanding.

[RockRaven]

2. Poorly and on the margins

[PeaceWave]

20. I imagine so. I found it interesting that here in California it took until 2014...

for us to get a law (Assembly Bill 1733) which allowed individuals experiencing homelessness to secure a free copy of their California birth certificate and/or free California photo ID card. I can't believe it took until 2014 to get such a basic piece of legislation passed here in this very progressive state. I can only imagine what is going on in this regards in Republican states.

https://housingca.org/resources/community/individuals/get-ca-birthcert/

[AZJonnie]

3. If some thing requires a government-issued photo ID, and you don't have one, then you can't do that thing

None of basic things necessary for a given person to continue to stay necessarily require they have possession of one of those, ergo, some people don't have one. Some people lost theirs and don't have the $35 to go get a new one for some period of time.

[Haggard Celine]

5. Some people don't even have bank accounts.

I don't know how you could cash a check without ID. Maybe if you know the people at the grocery store who cash it. I've never had a passport, but I'm about to get one. I want to be able to get out if I need to. I don't have a problem with them checking IDs at the polls, but think they should issue free IDs, or very cheap ones, to people who can't afford one.

[Nevilledog]

12. It's not about ID, it's about ID that shows proof of citizenship.

Only 5 states have state issued IDs that comply with this requirement.

[Johonny]

15. They goto payday lenders

Who take a percentage of their paycheck. That's how they do it.

[EX500rider]

24. Check cashing places ask for ID also in my experience

[Haggard Celine]

28. That's right, I forgot about the payday lenders.

And the check cashing places. Of course, a lot of companies will only pay you electronically, so they get these cards that are basically prepaid credit cards and draw out a little at a time. Bernie Sanders had an idea to have the post office serve as a sort of bank for these people. I know people, however, who just don't trust banks. They could hit the lottery and they would put it all in mason jars and bury it somewhere. Some would like for us to be a cashless society. I would resist that.

[Blue Full Moon]

6. It can be horrible.

Not having money to buy documents. If they want IDs they must be free.

[Skittles]

7. such concern!

maybe CHAT with these folk

[Figarosmom]

8. I don't think one could

But the feds are in charge of who gets to apply for a federal ID. So our right to vote cannot be tied to a federal ID.

But I suppose someone that works for cash only and doesn't drive could live without an ID. Of course there would be no retirement, medicare, owning property or bank account or anything else from the government.

[Easterncedar]

9. Aside from flying and applying for social security...

And getting carded to buy alcohol at one local grocery store, which makes me smile, I can’t think of when I recently needed ID.

[Torchlight]

10. Just idle curiosity, eh?

Peacewave: "I ask this not in support of Trump's "SAVE" Act..."

[PCIntern]

17. I think it's a fair question

[BannonsLiver]

19. What do you think their motivation is?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. You don't do the things that require one, generally. You might find work-arounds (people who look the other way,

whatever), but generally, you’re cut off from some things.

[dsc]

13. You can do many things with expired ID which isn't acceptable under voter ID acts

Also, my valid ID, with which I can do all the things one needs to do aside from foreign travel, isn't sufficient to vote under Save.

[Dave says]

16. You'll need your birth certificate or passport

If the SAVE Act passes and is in effect immediately, except for the 5 states where citizenship is verified when you receive a RL
driver’s license, you’ll need an unexpired passport or certified copy of your birth certificate to vote in the midterms and elections thereafter. Many, many people will fall short of these requirements and be unable to vote.

In addition, women who took on their husband’s last names will need to produce a marriage certificate.

The more wealth your household has, the more likely you’ll have these papers in time for the election. And the majority of households with money are Republican, not Democrat. Ergo Republicans win again. That is the plan, anyway.

(Voter fraud occurs less than 0.001% of the time. It is an almost nonexistent problem. However, by trumping it up and getting things like the SAVE Act passed, the right is helped in their mission to retain power.)

[GusBob]

14. I know some without a DL or State or Federal issued ID

Native Americans will have Tribal issued ID only, sometimes they are leery about being on the white man's radar and they dont drive, vote, etc.
Conversely, I know more than a few who refuse to have a Tribal ID for some unknown reason, but that caused a ruckus when ICE was getting busy with POC and then there was a rush to the Tribal office

[RoeVWade]

18. Once you get an ID you can go for a long time without it.

yes years. But it depends on what you do. Or rather don't do.

When I rented through more than one lease, I never needed my ID for future extensions.

If you ride a bus, you can do without it most places.

Personally, I haven't been to my bank in another state in a decade. I even took out loans without it which they approved.

[haele]

21. They didnt go to college, work for a family business and don't drive.

Or they work under the table, do their own "consulting" business.
They don't go to a doctor or dentist, instead, they use the ER or a "free" clinic. They don't typically have new credit cards or loans that require them to put down anything more than a SSN.
Their bank accounts (and bank cards) are older, pre-Real ID.
You don't need need a state or Federal ID to go to public K-12, submit your taxes or get a tax refund, nor did you need one for most subscription accounts.
Some states may require a state or Federal ID for certificates and licenses, like marriage or CCs - but others might not.
It all depends on what might be required and what may be waiverable, if you need to fill out electronic forms or if you can go into a local office and sweet talk the clerk into waiving a driver's licence or Real ID that might be a requirement on an electronic form.
You only need a SSN for most things.
A lot of commercial businesses still don't require Real ID or official state/local ID to hire someone part time.

I know three people who don't have a current government picture ID. They all work under the table or for the family business, with family members who drive them around, or they use public transit or bicycles. And they get by just fine.

It's getting more difficult, but is still doable, even if you lost all your ID and are in the process of trying to replace what you need to get by.

[PeaceWave]

22. While I can understand much of what you say here...

I would not in any way suggest that anyone try to...

"go into a local office and sweet talk the clerk into waiving a driver's licence or Real ID that might be a requirement on an electronic form."

I have family members who have worked in County level records offices for decades. They have seen employees fired for less than what you suggested. These folks do an important job and they take their jobs seriously. Please respect their need to comply with the law.

[Quiet Em]

23. Your driver's license will not be sufficient under the SAVE Act

The SAVE Act requires enhanced driver's licenses. Only Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington offer enhanced driver's licenses.

This is just one of the many extremely problematic issues with the SAVE act. Let alone that it is unconstitutional and a federal takeover from the States.

[obamanut2012]

25. Why are you asking why people don't have something NOT EVEN INCLUDED AS PROOF TO VOTE

A DL or state ID does not prove you are an American. A passport or BC does,.

They also are not allowing a marriage license as proof.

So, you are either being disingenuous or do not have the facts on the SAVE Act.

Your thesis is disingenuous because what you are claiming will allow you to vote does not allow you to vote under SAVE.

[UpInArms]

26. elderly people, who no longer drive

and live in nursing homes generally have no current "government i.d."

they may be very much in control of their mental facilities, but utterly unable to physically care for themselves.

They still vote, either by absentee or by a ride to the polls through the nursing home staff

[lame54]

27. Off the grid, man. Off the grid

[Katinfl]

29. Proof of citizenship is required when you register to vote.

When you go to vote in person you should only be required to show ID. There is no reason to have to carry around birth certificates, divorce papers, or whatever they are talking about. If you are legally registered to vote and on the voter rolls as active, that should be it. This SAVE Act is an answer in need of a question. I used to work the polls and the workers should not be required to go through all this with everyone. It would only slow the process up tremendously and it is needless. It has been proven over and over again that voter fraud is very rare.

[PJMcK]

30. Yeah

I have a dozen official IDs from two states and two countries. I cannot imagine not having them given my life.

[Norrrm]

35. Trump says you need a picture ID to buy groceries.

Trump says you need a picture ID to buy groceries.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/08/02/why-trumps-blunder-that-people-need-show-id-buy-groceries-is-so-troubling/

For example, you should be aware of what it takes to buy milk, eggs and bread. But it appears the president of the United States doesn’t have a clue what consumers have to do to buy groceries.

This is what Trump said when trying to make the case for voter identification cards: “You know, if you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card, you need ID. You go out and you want to buy anything, you need ID and you need your picture."

[creeksneakers2]

38. Sometimes its an elderly person who is being taken

care of by family and the family takes care of everything that requires ID. Sometimes there is a spouse who handles everything. Some are homeless and just go without. There are millions who don't have it.