Which specific 14 states and D.C. are classified by NCSL as verifying voters without ID, and what does each state's statute say?
Executive summary
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) groups 14 states plus Washington, D.C., as jurisdictions that "verify voters without ID documents," meaning voters may cast a ballot in person on Election Day without presenting a government ID and instead are verified by non‑documentary methods such as signing affidavits, providing personal information, or poll‑book checks [1] [2]. The sources provided for this query summarize the category and its methods but do not include a single NCSL list or the full text of each state's statute within the documents supplied here, so this report explains the classification, describes the statutory forms of verification NCSL highlights, and notes limits in the available reporting [3] [2].
1. What NCSL means by “verify without ID” and why that matters
NCSL explains that the 14 states plus D.C. it classifies as not requiring an ID document at the polling place typically use "non‑documentary" verification—voters attest to their identity by signing an affidavit or the poll book, providing personal information on the registration, or being verified by election officials—rather than presenting a photo or other ID document [1] [2]. This classification is a statutory/administrative categorization used by NCSL for comparative purposes and does not itself create law; rather, it summarizes how state statutes and procedures operate on Election Day [1] [4].
2. Typical statutory mechanisms NCSL cites in these states
The SELC/NCSL summary identifies several recurring statutory mechanisms in the “no‑document” category: an affidavit or sworn statement in which the voter affirms eligibility (sometimes with statutory text included in state law, as NCSL notes Illinois does), signature checks against registration records or poll books, and the use of personal information (name, address, date of birth) to match a voter to the rolls [2]. NCSL also emphasizes that these requirements can be combined—some states require a signed affidavit and a poll‑book check, for example—and that all states have procedures for challenging voter eligibility under state law [2].
3. What the provided sources do and do not supply about the 14 states + D.C.
Multiple secondary sources repeat NCSL’s headline: 14 states and D.C. do not require documentation to vote at the polls and instead verify identity through other means [3] [5] [6] [7]. However, the documents and pages supplied here (NCSL overview and the SELC/NCSL PDF extract) do not include a single consolidated list of those 14 states with verbatim statutory text for each jurisdiction within the materials provided to this inquiry, so this account cannot authoritatively reproduce each state’s statute word‑for‑word from these sources [1] [3] [2].
4. How to get the exact statutory language and why to read it directly
Because statutory language varies—some states embed an affidavit's wording in statute, others refer to administrative procedures or county election rules—NCSL recommends consulting state statutes or local election officials for precise requirements; NCSL also offers 50‑state surveys and enactment summaries to locate those provisions [4] [1]. For readers seeking the exact statute for a particular state, the NCSL “Voter ID Laws” page and the NCSL/SELC PDF on verification without documents are the starting points referenced here, and state legislative or secretary of state websites supply the authoritative text [1] [2].
5. Competing framings, potential agendas, and why precision matters
The characterization "no ID required" can be politically loaded: advocates for stricter ID laws emphasize potential fraud risks while opponents stress access and barriers; NCSL’s category is technical—describing verification methods, not measuring ballot security or disenfranchisement—and media outlets sometimes reduce that nuance to headlines like "no ID required to vote" [2] [6]. Readers should be aware that summaries by advocacy groups or media may compress complex statutory distinctions; the NCSL materials and the Movement Advancement Project both use the 14‑state + D.C. framing but differ in emphasis and audience [2] [7].
6. Bottom line and recommended next steps for researchers
NCSL classifies 14 states plus D.C. as using non‑documentary verification at the polls—affidavit signing, poll‑book checks, or matching personal information rather than requiring a photo or other ID document—but the specific list of states and the precise statutory wording for each are not included in the provided source excerpts, so obtaining the exact statutes requires consulting NCSL’s state pages or each state’s official election code/secretary of state site as NCSL itself directs [1] [2] [4]. Those seeking a verbatim, state‑by‑state statutory account should use NCSL’s 50‑state resources and the cited SELC/NCSL PDF as indexed entry points [3] [2].