S2 • E3 Oct 7, 2007
"Freedom to Vote: Protecting the Ballot" examines new voter ID initiatives that could disenfranchise millions, and shows how ordinary people and their elected representatives are trying to preserve the constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. The program focuses on legislative efforts in Georgia and Texas to require all prospective voters to present government-issued photo identification, though such rules would create barriers for low-income, elderly and disabled people. Nationwide, 16% of the nation's elderly voters and 25% of African Americans do not have current government-issued IDs. While supporters of photo IDs say the goal is to eliminate voter impersonation, such fraud is extremely rare, and many believe the initiatives are aimed at diluting Democratic votes.
