Colorado Newsline is wringing its hands because a bill in the U.S. House would change how elections are run in states like Colorado that use universal mail ballots. The proposal, the Make Elections Great Again Act, would ban universal vote-by-mail, require photo ID to vote, require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, ban ranked choice voting, and tighten rules around collecting and returning other people’s ballots.
It was introduced by U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, and the story lines it up with President Trump calling for Republicans to “nationalize” voting. Colorado officials and advocacy groups say it would make voting harder and could push sensitive voter data toward a federal system.
The Bullet Point Brief
- A U.S. House bill would ban universal mail ballots like Colorado has used since 2013.
- It would add photo ID for voting and proof of citizenship to register for federal elections.
- It would ban ranked choice voting and limit ballot collection and return on behalf of others.
- Colorado leaders and advocacy groups argue it would suppress votes and centralize data.
- The bill would expand legal enforcement, including allowing lawsuits tied to registration without proof of citizenship.
My Bottom Line
We can debate federalizing elections. I think it’s wrong. Local control is not a cute slogan; it is how you keep one-size-fits-all D.C. nonsense from smashing into the realities of 64 different counties and a whole lot of different voters.
But let’s not pretend the temptation came out of thin air. When you have Secretaries of State in blue states that are so corrupt to the core, the allure is tempting for folks who are tired of being told to sit down and trust the same people who keep changing the rules and then demand applause for “transparency.” (Just do as the court ordered and clean up the voter rolls, Jena.)
And yes, mail-in ballots are popular. Largely because Americans are lazy and they’re just too damn comfortable to get off their couches and go to exercise the very right millions have died for. That’s harsh, but it’s also real, and reality doesn’t take petitions.
Mail-in ballots are also easy to game, harvest, strategize – and cheat. So my preference is simple: One day. One person. In person. And with an ID. If you need an ID to pick up a package or open a bank account, you can handle it to choose the people running your government.
The Democrats’ insistence to continue to call requiring an ID to vote “akin to Jim Crow laws” is tired, performative, and, let’s call it what it is, bullshit. Stop. Shut up. They’re not. And your political enemies aren’t Hitler, either. Just. Shut. Up.
Americans are overwhelmingly pro–voter ID, and it’s not even close. In a Gallup national poll conducted Oct. 1–12, 2024, 84% of U.S. adults said they favor requiring photo identification to vote. Pew Research Center finds essentially the same thing in its national surveys: in Feb. 2024, 81% favored requiring government-issued photo ID to vote, with support at 95% among Republicans and 69% among Democrats. And in Aug. 2025, Pew again found 83% overall support, including 95% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats.
ID makes sense. Arguing against proving who you are and that you are a citizen just shows me who you are – someone who wants to cheat – that is your only reason. So just shut up. Seriously.
I brain-stormed for four minutes and come up with this by-no-means-comprehensive list:
You need ID to drive and do anything vehicle-related
- Drive / traffic stop, crash report
- Register a vehicle, get plates, title transfer
- Buy/rent a car
You need ID to travel
- Board a plane (domestic)
- Cross borders / international travel (passport)
You need ID to buy age-restricted products
- Alcohol (and often to enter bars/clubs)
- Cannabis (dispensary)
- Tobacco/nicotine
You need ID to handle money
- Open a bank account
- Cash many checks
- Wire transfers / money orders (often)
- Apply for a loan, mortgage, credit card
- Pick up certain high-value financial instruments
You need ID to work
- Complete I-9 employment verification
- Background checks
- Many professional licenses
You need ID to rent/buy housing and start utilities
- Rental application and lease signing
- Home purchase/sale closing (notary/title verification)
- Utilities setup (often)
You need ID to access healthcare and prescriptions
- New patient registration
- Controlled substances at pharmacies (often)
- Insurance verification (often)
You need ID for government and legal processes
- Notarizing documents
- Court access/check-in in many places
- Getting certain vital records (varies)
- Many benefits programs (identity verification)
You need ID for security-controlled places
- Some government buildings
- Secure workplaces
- Will-call tickets / some venues
- Hotels (check-in)
Yes, even in Colo-RAD-OH, you do have to show ID if you vote in person – but it’s often not photo ID (it can be a flipping water bill). But most voting happens by mail, where signature matching does the heavy lifting.
Look, I’m a local control guy, and I like consistency in my principles. I do not want Washington running Colorado elections, but I also do not want Colorado elites running elections on the honor system and then acting offended when citizens ask basic questions. Just this week, I was told by a glorious, liberal, ruling elite at the Capitol that Weld’s charter didn’t matter and that County Commissioner redistricting needed to be controlled by the state “to ensure fairness.” Okay, Rep Clifford, now do Colorado elections. I’ll wait.
Source: Colorado Newsline
Good article. But how are handicapped folks, like me who can’t stand for any length of time or walk long distances, supposed to vote?
Under the ADA, voting centers are required to accommodate your needs.