During this election year, we are once again hearing comments and criticism of the proposals for voter ID. The president and the attorney general have been critical of voter ID laws. Some commentators have even labeled them as racist. Even Republicans like Senator Rand Paul have said that it is “wrong for Republicans to go too crazy” on voter ID because it might offend potential voters.

These comments would lead you to believe that voter ID laws are unpopular. But that is hardly the case. Jason Riley, writing in Political Diary, quotes from a few polls that show significant support for voter ID laws.

A poll by Fox News shows that support for these laws is quite strong in every demographic category. People were asked if they supported laws that “require voters to show a valid form of state- or federally-issued photo identification to prove U.S. citizenship before being allowed to vote.” Seven out of ten of respondents supported such laws. That breaks down to 91 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of Independents, and 55 percent of Democrats. Men (71%) and women (70%) overwhelmingly supported voter ID laws. Three-fourths (75%) of whites and a majority (51%) of blacks also supported these laws.

These findings match previous polls on this subject. For example, the Washington Post poll conducted in 2012 asked if people should be “required to show official, government-issued photo identification?such as a driver’s license?when they cast ballots on Election Day.” Three-fourths (74%) of all respondent agreed, including 65 percent of blacks.

These polls demonstrate two things. First, the American people have basic common sense. We need to show an ID to cash a check. We need an ID to board an airplane or rent a car. We often need to provide an ID with a credit card purchase. Asking for ID to vote hardly seems inappropriate. Second, the poll also shows that opponents of voter ID will continue to have difficulty building opposition to such laws. They would be wise to drop the issue.