In the United States, 23 states require a photo ID to vote. Another 12 require an ID, but it need not have your photo on it. The 16 states that require no ID at all to vote include: California, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia (not a state… yet), Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Notice a pattern? Most of these states have been hotbeds of corruption at every level of government, not to mention pretty hospitable states for scammers and fraudsters of all stripes. This list alone is practically an indictment of the practice of not requiring an ID to vote.
But did you ever wonder how this compares to your daily life? How many times, specifically, do you need to show an ID to carry on with your normal routine? And in none of these cases are you “disenfranchised?”
Warehouse clubs require an ID. Stores like Costco require a membership card and a photo ID when you shop. This is to prevent you from sharing your membership card. Sam’s Club needs an ID for membership. Same thing for BJ’s Wholesale Club.
After all that shopping, you may want to take a break and go to the gym. Well, if you want to join Planet Fitness, you’ll need a photo ID to join. LA Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness both need to see IDs. And so do Lifetime Fitness and Anytime Fitness. Even your local YMCA follows a photo ID policy for membership.
To pay for these things, you need to have a bank account. Just about every legitimate financial institution will require you to provide a photo ID, and your Social Security number in order to open an account. That includes Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, PNC, Capital One, Citi, and others.
If you’re the type who stresses over finances or the process for getting credit from a bank, it might just make you want to have a drink, right? Don’t forget your ID when you step up to the bar. You must be 21 or older in most places, and yes, they do check. And don’t even think about leaving that ID at home if all you want to do is pick up a six-pack or a bottle of wine at the grocery store.
Hungry? I’ve got some good news for you. If you join some customer loyalty programs at your favorite restaurants, you can get some nice deals and maybe some perks for being a member.
Just remember, Steak ‘n Shake uses biometric face check-in for loyalty rewards and payments, and if you want to enroll in the program, you’ll need an ID to get verified. Got a craving for chicken? Chick-fil-A has a loyalty program especially for active members of the military and veterans. But you’ll need an ID to join. Same thing for Chipotle’s rewards programs. You’ll need an ID to take advantage of them.
I almost forgot. If you’re in the mood for Italian, Olive Garden is bringing back its Never-ending Pasta Pass, but yes, that, too, requires an ID.
Olive Garden announces they are requiring photo ID to obtain the Never-Ending Pasta Pass, meaning the pasta giant is taking ID requirements more seriously than the US does in its elections.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 17, 2026
Last night, President Trump shared the importance of voter ID in our elections.
If only… pic.twitter.com/gDTVHTQ8SM
BREAKING: AOC appalled that Olive Garden is requiring photo ID for their Pasta Pass. pic.twitter.com/T6ej0rhxMc
— Billy Keyser (@KeyserWhat) July 17, 2026
Of course, getting where you want to go can be an issue. You can’t get to the bank, the gym, the restaurant, or the store without a ride. If you don’t have a car, there’s always Uber, but they need your phone number and credit card on file for that. You could drive, but of course, you need a driver’s license for that. What about the subway? Hey, New York doesn’t require an ID to vote. Maybe the state will let you get an unlimited ride pass on the New York Subway system without an ID. Let’s check.
Oops. You need to verify your identity, and you need a credit card on file for that, too. Sorry about that.
I don’t know. It seems to me like most people are kind of used to showing their IDs to do things, and no one is ever covered in the news as being discriminated against or disenfranchised. People from all walks of life and all ages seem to have no trouble getting the IDs they need to do the things they want to do, given their ages. And that’s a good thing. We don’t want 10-year-olds being able to buy a pack of Marlboros now, do we?
It seems the only times we don’t require an ID are when someone wants to vote in one of our federal elections or if that 250-pound damsel with a beard headed into the women’s locker room or restroom looks an awful lot like a guy.
Maybe it really is time to pass the SAVE America Act. It’s blatantly obvious now why the left is resisting. The jig is up, Mr. Thune. Do your job.
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