Vast Majority of Americans Want Photo ID and Proof of Citizenship to Vote: Gallup

Voters take to the polls in Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 19, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

With less than two weeks until the 2024 presidential election, a new Gallup poll shows growing support for election integrity measures compared to prior election cycles, with vast majority of U.S. adults in favor of requiring photo identification to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

The poll, released on Oct. 24, found that 84 percent of American adults support voter ID measures, marking an increase from the 80 percent who expressed support for the measure ahead of the 2016 election, and the 79 percent who backed it during the 2022 midterm elections.

Additionally, 83 percent of respondents in the latest poll said they support requiring proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote for the first time.

This year’s poll marks Gallup’s first attempt to measure public opinion on the citizenship requirement for voter registration, a particularly contentious issue in the current election cycle where illegal immigration has become a more prominent concern for voters. Besides border security being a key issue in this election cycle, some surveys indicate a lack of trust in election officials’ efforts to prevent noncitizens from voting.

U.S. citizenship is a requirement to vote in federal elections but the National Voter Registration Act allows those without documented proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections by signing an avowal under penalty of perjury.

A number of states have introduced bills that would establish proof of citizenship requirements, with opponents of such measures often arguing they amount to unreasonable restrictions on casting a ballot. In July, the Republican-led House passed a bill mandating citizenship verification, but the Democrat-led Senate has yet to vote on it.

While there is significant partisan division with respect to both photo ID and proof of citizenship requirements, there’s majority support among both Democrats and Republicans for the measures.

Backing for photo identification requirements is nearly unanimous among Republicans, with 98 percent in favor, reflecting a long-standing priority for stricter election integrity measures. Democrats also support photo ID requirements by a narrower margin of 67 percent. Independents are somewhere in between, with 84 percent in favor, per the latest Gallup poll.

Partisan divisions on the proof of citizenship requirement are nearly identical to those regarding photo ID. Ninety-six percent of Republicans expressed support for proof of citizenship requirements, compared to 66 percent of Democrats, and 84 percent of Independents.

Beyond photo ID and proof of citizenship, the Oct. 24 Gallup poll reveals sharper partisan division on other election policies.

Americans remain broadly supportive of early voting, with 76 percent favoring it. However, while 95 percent of Democrats back early voting, only 57 percent of Republicans support the policy, reflecting a common Republican argument that longer voting periods increase the potential for fraud or errors.

The poll also found that 60 percent of respondents support automatic voter registration, which would register eligible citizens when they interact with state agencies like the DMV, unless they opt out. This measure is popular among Democrats, with 79 percent support, but less so among Republicans, with 43 percent in favor. Independents align exactly with the national average at 60 percent.

Similarly, 60 percent of Americans favor sending absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters, a policy that gained prominence during the 2020 election cycle, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats back the policy at 87 percent, while 36 percent of Republicans support it—a difference of 51 points. Critics have said that unsolicited absentee ballot applications can lead to increased risk of voter fraud or confusion, undermining election integrity.

The poll also shows a significant partisan split on other measures meant to ensure that ineligible voters don’t cast a ballot.

Sixty-one percent of Republicans support limits on absentee ballot drop boxes and 51 percent favor the removal of inactive voters from registration lists after five years. In contrast, fewer than 20 percent of Democrats back either measure, reflecting concerns over potential voter suppression.