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PeaceWave

(3,008 posts)
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:53 AM 15 hrs ago

Can someone please explain to me how anyone in the U.S. functions without a government issued I.D.?

I am not talking about a passport or a birth certificate. Asking anyone in the U.S. to have ready access at all times to either is nonsense. What I'm talking about is either a Driver's License or a State issued Identification Card. I ask this not in support of Trump's "SAVE" Act - A stupid name for a piece of legislation if ever there was one. The "SAVE" Act, if anything, is likely to create more confusion in our voting process than anything else. Hence, I am unequivocally against the "SAVE" Act. That said, I am curious how living as an adult in the U.S. without any government issued I.D. even works.

30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Can someone please explain to me how anyone in the U.S. functions without a government issued I.D.? (Original Post) PeaceWave 15 hrs ago OP
I don't think it's possible. Melon 15 hrs ago #1
It would be really hard if you lived alone for sure AZJonnie 15 hrs ago #4
Poorly and on the margins RockRaven 15 hrs ago #2
I imagine so. I found it interesting that here in California it took until 2014... PeaceWave 4 hrs ago #20
If some thing requires a government-issued photo ID, and you don't have one, then you can't do that thing AZJonnie 15 hrs ago #3
Some people don't even have bank accounts. Haggard Celine 15 hrs ago #5
It's not about ID, it's about ID that shows proof of citizenship. Nevilledog 8 hrs ago #12
They goto payday lenders Johonny 7 hrs ago #15
Check cashing places ask for ID also in my experience EX500rider 51 min ago #24
That's right, I forgot about the payday lenders. Haggard Celine 10 min ago #28
It can be horrible. Blue Full Moon 15 hrs ago #6
such concern! Skittles 15 hrs ago #7
I don't think one could Figarosmom 14 hrs ago #8
Aside from flying and applying for social security... Easterncedar 14 hrs ago #9
Just idle curiosity, eh? Torchlight 9 hrs ago #10
I think it's a fair question PCIntern 6 hrs ago #17
What do you think their motivation is? BannonsLiver 6 hrs ago #19
You don't do the things that require one, generally. You might find work-arounds (people who look the other way, WhiskeyGrinder 9 hrs ago #11
You can do many things with expired ID which isn't acceptable under voter ID acts dsc 7 hrs ago #13
You'll need your birth certificate or passport Dave says 7 hrs ago #16
I know some without a DL or State or Federal issued ID GusBob 7 hrs ago #14
Once you get an ID you can go for a long time without it. RoeVWade 6 hrs ago #18
They didnt go to college, work for a family business and don't drive. haele 3 hrs ago #21
While I can understand much of what you say here... PeaceWave 3 hrs ago #22
Your driver's license will not be sufficient under the SAVE Act Quiet Em 2 hrs ago #23
Why are you asking why people don't have something NOT EVEN INCLUDED AS PROOF TO VOTE obamanut2012 41 min ago #25
elderly people, who no longer drive UpInArms 17 min ago #26
Off the grid, man. Off the grid lame54 13 min ago #27
Proof of citizenship is required when you register to vote. Katinfl 3 min ago #29
Yeah PJMcK 3 min ago #30

AZJonnie

(3,418 posts)
4. It would be really hard if you lived alone for sure
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:03 AM
15 hrs ago

But not impossible if you don't. Or if you didn't actually have a home at all.

PeaceWave

(3,008 posts)
20. I imagine so. I found it interesting that here in California it took until 2014...
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:21 PM
4 hrs ago

for us to get a law (Assembly Bill 1733) which allowed individuals experiencing homelessness to secure a free copy of their California birth certificate and/or free California photo ID card. I can't believe it took until 2014 to get such a basic piece of legislation passed here in this very progressive state. I can only imagine what is going on in this regards in Republican states.

https://housingca.org/resources/community/individuals/get-ca-birthcert/

AZJonnie

(3,418 posts)
3. If some thing requires a government-issued photo ID, and you don't have one, then you can't do that thing
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:01 AM
15 hrs ago

None of basic things necessary for a given person to continue to stay necessarily require they have possession of one of those, ergo, some people don't have one. Some people lost theirs and don't have the $35 to go get a new one for some period of time.

Haggard Celine

(17,783 posts)
5. Some people don't even have bank accounts.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:04 AM
15 hrs ago

I don't know how you could cash a check without ID. Maybe if you know the people at the grocery store who cash it. I've never had a passport, but I'm about to get one. I want to be able to get out if I need to. I don't have a problem with them checking IDs at the polls, but think they should issue free IDs, or very cheap ones, to people who can't afford one.

Nevilledog

(54,924 posts)
12. It's not about ID, it's about ID that shows proof of citizenship.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 09:18 AM
8 hrs ago

Only 5 states have state issued IDs that comply with this requirement.

Johonny

(25,889 posts)
15. They goto payday lenders
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 10:02 AM
7 hrs ago

Who take a percentage of their paycheck. That's how they do it.

Haggard Celine

(17,783 posts)
28. That's right, I forgot about the payday lenders.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 05:13 PM
10 min ago

And the check cashing places. Of course, a lot of companies will only pay you electronically, so they get these cards that are basically prepaid credit cards and draw out a little at a time. Bernie Sanders had an idea to have the post office serve as a sort of bank for these people. I know people, however, who just don't trust banks. They could hit the lottery and they would put it all in mason jars and bury it somewhere. Some would like for us to be a cashless society. I would resist that.

Figarosmom

(11,121 posts)
8. I don't think one could
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:48 AM
14 hrs ago

But the feds are in charge of who gets to apply for a federal ID. So our right to vote cannot be tied to a federal ID.

But I suppose someone that works for cash only and doesn't drive could live without an ID. Of course there would be no retirement, medicare, owning property or bank account or anything else from the government.

Easterncedar

(5,960 posts)
9. Aside from flying and applying for social security...
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:14 AM
14 hrs ago

And getting carded to buy alcohol at one local grocery store, which makes me smile, I can’t think of when I recently needed ID.

WhiskeyGrinder

(26,770 posts)
11. You don't do the things that require one, generally. You might find work-arounds (people who look the other way,
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 08:15 AM
9 hrs ago

whatever), but generally, you’re cut off from some things.

dsc

(53,356 posts)
13. You can do many things with expired ID which isn't acceptable under voter ID acts
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 09:46 AM
7 hrs ago

Also, my valid ID, with which I can do all the things one needs to do aside from foreign travel, isn't sufficient to vote under Save.

Dave says

(5,374 posts)
16. You'll need your birth certificate or passport
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 10:23 AM
7 hrs ago

If the SAVE Act passes and is in effect immediately, except for the 5 states where citizenship is verified when you receive a RL
driver’s license, you’ll need an unexpired passport or certified copy of your birth certificate to vote in the midterms and elections thereafter. Many, many people will fall short of these requirements and be unable to vote.

In addition, women who took on their husband’s last names will need to produce a marriage certificate.

The more wealth your household has, the more likely you’ll have these papers in time for the election. And the majority of households with money are Republican, not Democrat. Ergo Republicans win again. That is the plan, anyway.

(Voter fraud occurs less than 0.001% of the time. It is an almost nonexistent problem. However, by trumping it up and getting things like the SAVE Act passed, the right is helped in their mission to retain power.)

GusBob

(8,204 posts)
14. I know some without a DL or State or Federal issued ID
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 09:47 AM
7 hrs ago

Native Americans will have Tribal issued ID only, sometimes they are leery about being on the white man's radar and they dont drive, vote, etc.
Conversely, I know more than a few who refuse to have a Tribal ID for some unknown reason, but that caused a ruckus when ICE was getting busy with POC and then there was a rush to the Tribal office

RoeVWade

(878 posts)
18. Once you get an ID you can go for a long time without it.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 10:27 AM
6 hrs ago

yes years. But it depends on what you do. Or rather don't do.

When I rented through more than one lease, I never needed my ID for future extensions.

If you ride a bus, you can do without it most places.

Personally, I haven't been to my bank in another state in a decade. I even took out loans without it which they approved.





haele

(15,265 posts)
21. They didnt go to college, work for a family business and don't drive.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:48 PM
3 hrs ago

Or they work under the table, do their own "consulting" business.
They don't go to a doctor or dentist, instead, they use the ER or a "free" clinic. They don't typically have new credit cards or loans that require them to put down anything more than a SSN.
Their bank accounts (and bank cards) are older, pre-Real ID.
You don't need need a state or Federal ID to go to public K-12, submit your taxes or get a tax refund, nor did you need one for most subscription accounts.
Some states may require a state or Federal ID for certificates and licenses, like marriage or CCs - but others might not.
It all depends on what might be required and what may be waiverable, if you need to fill out electronic forms or if you can go into a local office and sweet talk the clerk into waiving a driver's licence or Real ID that might be a requirement on an electronic form.
You only need a SSN for most things.
A lot of commercial businesses still don't require Real ID or official state/local ID to hire someone part time.

I know three people who don't have a current government picture ID. They all work under the table or for the family business, with family members who drive them around, or they use public transit or bicycles. And they get by just fine.

It's getting more difficult, but is still doable, even if you lost all your ID and are in the process of trying to replace what you need to get by.

PeaceWave

(3,008 posts)
22. While I can understand much of what you say here...
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:20 PM
3 hrs ago

I would not in any way suggest that anyone try to...

"go into a local office and sweet talk the clerk into waiving a driver's licence or Real ID that might be a requirement on an electronic form."

I have family members who have worked in County level records offices for decades. They have seen employees fired for less than what you suggested. These folks do an important job and they take their jobs seriously. Please respect their need to comply with the law.

Quiet Em

(2,722 posts)
23. Your driver's license will not be sufficient under the SAVE Act
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:50 PM
2 hrs ago

The SAVE Act requires enhanced driver's licenses. Only Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington offer enhanced driver's licenses.

This is just one of the many extremely problematic issues with the SAVE act. Let alone that it is unconstitutional and a federal takeover from the States.

obamanut2012

(29,301 posts)
25. Why are you asking why people don't have something NOT EVEN INCLUDED AS PROOF TO VOTE
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 04:42 PM
41 min ago

A DL or state ID does not prove you are an American. A passport or BC does,.

They also are not allowing a marriage license as proof.

So, you are either being disingenuous or do not have the facts on the SAVE Act.

Your thesis is disingenuous because what you are claiming will allow you to vote does not allow you to vote under SAVE.

UpInArms

(54,622 posts)
26. elderly people, who no longer drive
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 05:07 PM
17 min ago

and live in nursing homes generally have no current "government i.d."

they may be very much in control of their mental facilities, but utterly unable to physically care for themselves.

They still vote, either by absentee or by a ride to the polls through the nursing home staff

Katinfl

(701 posts)
29. Proof of citizenship is required when you register to vote.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 05:21 PM
3 min ago

When you go to vote in person you should only be required to show ID. There is no reason to have to carry around birth certificates, divorce papers, or whatever they are talking about. If you are legally registered to vote and on the voter rolls as active, that should be it. This SAVE Act is an answer in need of a question. I used to work the polls and the workers should not be required to go through all this with everyone. It would only slow the process up tremendously and it is needless. It has been proven over and over again that voter fraud is very rare.

PJMcK

(24,966 posts)
30. Yeah
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 05:21 PM
3 min ago

I have a dozen official IDs from two states and two countries. I cannot imagine not having them given my life.

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