Utah Congressman Mike Kennedy recently argued that Americans must show ID to do things like drive a car, board an airplane, or cash a paycheck. Those activities involve proving identity in a single transaction. Voting, however, works differently. Elections operate through a registration system where voter qualifications are already established.

In democratic systems, the responsibility for confirming eligibility generally rests with the state, not voters. Many democracies maintain population registries allowing election officials to automatically maintain voter rolls. These systems tend to produce higher participation and increased confidence in elections. They also help maintain a level playing field, because obtaining specific documents can be straightforward for some people but difficult for others. The SAVE Act would shift the responsibility from the state to citizens.

Read the rest of the article here.