Voting can be confusing, and difficult to understand – especially for first time voters.  There are many requirements to be eligible to vote for President in the United States, but many aren’t sure of what all the rules are.  One of the biggest questions leading up to Election Day every four years is “Do You Need Your Voters Card to Vote?”  What happens if you show up at a polling location without your voter card (also known as a voter ID)?

You do not need your voters card to vote.  Many people that register just before the deadline will not receive their voters card prior to the election, but this doesn’t mean that they will be turned away from polling locations.  All that you need on election day is an ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.  Even non-government issued IDs will suffice, as long as your name is included, there are many different forms that will be accepted.  So, why do many people not know whether or not you need your voters card to vote?

Depending on your party affiliation and location, the voting process can be intentionally confusing to suppress the total number of votes.  Traditionally, lower voter turnout numbers have benefited Republicans while higher numbers of voters benefit Democrats in Presidential Elections.  By making it unclear of if you need your voters card to vote, many people will simply stay home on election day – which could benefit the primary party in your area.  If you don’t need your voter id card to vote on election day, what purpose does it serve?

Do you need your voters card to vote?  No, so what is your voter ID card for then?  Your voter ID card confirms your registration, your registration affiliation – and most importantly, your voting location.  This information is also provided at the time of registration in most cases, or can be found by contacting your state election authorities if you do not have your voter card.

Many people will show up at polling locations on election day to vote for the President only to find out that they are no longer registered – when they thought that they still were.  If you aren’t registered, you cannot vote in the Presidential election in 2016 – but you can still participate in online polls!

Voter registration card or not, you can participate in the election excitement by taking online Presidential polls up until Election Day 2016.  We won’t even check your ID!  Just click to vote for your favorite candidate to submit your mock election ballot – and then see who is currently winning the race according to our online poll.