ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Why don’t voters have to show their ID to cast their ballot? You still need your ID to register to vote.

A viewer, Steve, asked: “I would like to know why it is not necessary anymore to show identification when voting.” It’s because of the federal Help America Vote Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002.

The goal of the law was to modernize voting machines after the 2000 election and improve the voting process.

The law says you only have to show ID when you register to vote. If you don’t present it when you register, you have to bring it with you to your polling place when you vote for the first time, and that’s it. The law “prescribes minimum requirements for verification of voter registration information.” It also “requires the state election system to ensure that voter registration records in the state are accurate and are updated regularly.”

If you register by mail, the law says you must include a copy of either your ID, a utility bill, a bank statement, or a government document showing name and address. After that, a signature is all you need to verify your identity at the polls.

There has been pushback against this 22-year-old rule. Republican lawmakers in the New York State Senate and Assembly have proposed several measures that would require you to show a government-issued ID every time you vote. Those proposals are all still in committee.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to goodquestion@whec.com.

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