As of now, 17 states have laws requiring voters to present photo ID before voting. Some have suggested these regulations may act to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, who could be less likely to have such identification. Last month a judge in Pennsylvania blocked the state from enforcing its voter ID laws in the 2012 election.

According to a Pew Research Survey of 1,263 registered voters, 77 percent think voters should be required to show a photo ID before casting a ballot. Ninety-five percent of Republicans, 83 percent of independents and 61 percent of Democrats support such measures.

The recent controversy over photo ID voting laws hasn't seemed to have much of effect on the public's opinion of them. When Pew asked the same questions six years ago they found 80 percent of voters supported photo ID laws, which is a statistically insignificant difference from the level of support now.

 

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