Voter ID Is the Global Norm. The United States Remains the Outlier

Most democratic nations require identification to vote, while several U.S. states still allow voting without it, fueling an ongoing debate over election integrity and public trust.

Requiring voters to show identification at the polls is standard practice across much of the democratic world, from Europe and Asia to Africa and Latin America. 

Yet in the United States, election rules vary sharply by state, with several allowing voters to cast ballots without presenting any form of identification, setting the country apart from most of its democratic peers.

International election authorities consistently describe identification as a normal administrative safeguard. 

The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, an elections database supported by the United Nations, shows that most democracies require voters to present identification either when registering, voting, or both. Countries including Germany, France, Canada, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and India all require voters to verify their identity at the polls. 

However, United States election law is governed by the states, producing a patchwork of standards. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 36 states require voters to show some form of identification, but only a few require photo ID—all of the states that do not are overwhelmingly Democratic. 

States such as California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey allow registered voters to cast a regular ballot without presenting identification.

Other democracies address concerns about access by ensuring identification is readily available—similar to the United States.

In India, the Election Commission issues free voter ID cards to eligible citizens. Many European countries provide national ID cards at little or no cost and require them for routine activities such as banking or travel, making voter identification a familiar part of civic life rather than an obstacle.

While most democracies treat voter identification as a basic responsibility tied to citizenship, American voters face dramatically different rules depending on where they live.