Trump Revives False Claim about Voter ID and groceries
WASHINGTON - During a rally on November 5, 2024, former President Donald Trump repeated a demonstrably false claim that Americans are required to show identification to purchase groceries, linking it to his ongoing assertions about election security. This claim, which has been widely debunked, resurfaced as Trump continues to challenge the integrity of mail-in voting and advocate for stricter voter ID laws.
The renewed assertion comes despite evidence demonstrating the security of mail-in voting and highlights a pattern of misleading statements regarding election processes. The stakes are high as the 2024 election cycle concludes and debates over voting access continue to shape the political landscape. Trump’s claims,if left unchecked,could further erode public trust in democratic institutions and potentially lead to restrictive voting legislation.
Trump has frequently alleged widespread voter fraud, notably concerning mail-in ballots, despite numerous investigations finding no evidence of significant irregularities. He often cites the need for stringent identification requirements as a safeguard against fraud, extending the logic to everyday transactions like grocery shopping.
However, there is no federal law mandating identification to purchase groceries, and such requirements are uncommon at the state or local level. This claim has been repeatedly debunked by fact-checkers across the political spectrum.
Notably, a 2020 report from the Carter Center, which has been studying voting as the late 1990s, found that states utilizing vote-by-mail “appears to have avoided significant fraud in its vote-by-mail elections by introducing safeguards to protect ballot integrity, including signature verification.” The report also recommended further research into the benefits and drawbacks of mail-in voting and offered suggestions for enhancing ballot security.
The late former President Jimmy Carter himself affirmed his support for absentee ballots, stating in a 2020 statement, “I approve the use of absentee ballots and have been using them for more than five years.” Carter’s personal experience underscored the convenience and accessibility of mail-in voting,a method he utilized himself.
