WEEKLY EDITORIAL RECAP

VOTER ID AND COMMON SENSE

Almost 14 years ago, Random House published “The Death of Common Sense,” by Philip K. Howard.

Mr. Howard, an attorney, argued that the nation’s growing dependence on law and bureaucratic hegemony “precludes the exercise of judgment.” That our reliance on the legal system to address every perceived wrong is, in fact, having major cultural ramifications when it comes to individuals applying logic and common sense to everyday problems. …

Mr. Howard has since been a vocal advocate of regulatory and legal reform. And his thesis remains as relevant as ever — it will, for instance, be on display Jan. 9 when the U.S. Supreme Court hears the related Indiana cases of Crawford v. Marion County Election Board and Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita.

Both cases address a relatively simple question: Is it unconstitutional for states to demand that voters identify themselves before they cast a ballot? …

Most states — including Nevada — have relaxed their absentee ballot laws, meaning individuals can vote without ever leaving their homes. Other states — including Nevada — feature early voting, allowing citizens to cast ballots for days leading up to the actual election day. … Even voters without identification who are turned away in states that feature such laws are allowed to cast provisional ballots that will eventually be counted if they are deemed valid. Some states with voter ID laws allow citizens to use items such as utility bills as evidence of their identity.

The burden is hardly overwhelming at a time when you can’t cash a check or board an airplane without some form of identification. …

But the real issue here is the integrity of the system. It’s all well and good to encourage people to participate on election day. Yet increasing voter turnout must not be achieved at the expense of making it easier to commit fraud, thus undermining the entire process.

Voter ID laws represent a reasonable effort to ensure that those who cast ballots are who they say they are. Let’s hope the Supreme Court agrees.

After all, it’s just common sense.