In a display of the vulnerabilities present in Connecticut’s voting systems, a Stamford man has recently cast his vote using a form of identification that would typically earn you a discount on groceries: a ShopRite Price Plus Club bonus card.
The man, whose name has not been released, approached the polling station with the intent to highlight the absurdities and the lack of integrity of the state’s voter ID regulations, according to Connecticut Centinal.
When asked for identification, he presented his grocery store points card. Initially, the polling station worker hesitated, unsure if the card could be accepted as a legitimate form of ID. The card bore no photo, only the man’s name.
However, after drawing the attention of other voters and staff, a senior staffer intervened and confirmed that the grocery store card was, in fact, an acceptable form of identification.
This is not the first time the man has used unconventional ID forms to vote. In a previous election, according to Connecticut Centinal, he used his debit card, which similarly lacks a photo ID.
It’s not that the man is without proper identification; he possesses a driver’s license but chooses to forgo it in a deliberate attempt to showcase the laxity of Connecticut’s voter ID laws.
According to the Connecticut Secretary of State’s website, voting in the state using a grocery store bonus card or a debit card as identification is not legal.
Connecticut law requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting, with accepted forms of ID, including social security cards or any pre-printed form of ID that shows the voter’s name and address, name and signature, or name and photograph. A grocery store bonus card or debit card would not typically meet these requirements.
Examples of pre-printed forms of ID that are acceptable in Connecticut include:
- Driver’s license
- State ID card
- Passport
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check
- Paycheck
- Government document
If a voter does not have an acceptable form of ID, they can still vote by signing an affidavit attesting to their identity.
This event highlights vulnerabilities in the system, demonstrating that without stringent ID requirements, the integrity of the electoral process can be compromised. This incident serves as a compelling argument for reviewing and tightening voter ID regulations to ensure that only eligible and properly identified individuals can cast votes, thereby preserving the integrity of elections.