Nevada Voter ID Bill Too Expensive, Too Discriminatory, and Too Disenfranchising

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, Senate Bill 169 was introduced at the Nevada Legislature. The bill seeks to require proof of identity for voting in person. The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada opposes S.B. 169, and any attempt to limit voters’ ability to exercise their voting rights.

“Voter ID laws are a discriminatory solution in search of a nonexistent problem. Nevada’s election performance is rated fifth in the country,[1] so this bill is unnecessary, costly and discriminatory,” stated Tod Story, ACLU of Nevada Executive Director. “We should be encouraging more voter participation, modernizing our machines, and expanding access to the polls. Instead, this proposal will divert tax dollars, limit voter participation, and discriminate against the elderly, minorities, and lower income individuals.”

Voter ID laws cost taxpayers millions of dollars to implement and sustain. Nevada’s costs would be prohibitive. See the ACLU of Nevada’s lawsuit challenging the 2014 “Voter ID Initiative,” Rosati, et al. v. Our Vote Nevada PAC, available at: http://www.aclunv.org/press/aclu-nevada-and-lawyers-committee-civil-rights-file-challenge-voter-id-initiative

The ACLU of Nevada is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all people in Nevada.

[1] Pew Election Performance Index http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/multimedia/data-visualizations/2014/elections-performance-index#indicator